One Gen to Another
by BitterSweetTeller
Summary: Max is in the middle when another world collides with hers...in many ways. But, not in a cosmical way. It's a super-sized 3 act Dark Angel and Gen13 movie crossover that also is a direct tie-in to Episode 7 of Of Wolves and Devils. More details inside. Rated Teen for strong language, strong suggestive content and humor in places, plenty of drama, and at least some revved up action.
1. Act 1: Not Quite Paradise or Hell

One Gen to Another: A Dark Angel/Gen^13 Fanfiction Crossover Story

Act 1:

Side Notes: If you haven't read up to episode 7 of Of Wolves and Devils, please do before reading this 3 act fanfiction story. It'll make more sense this way, since this is not long after that episode.

There are quite some comic related tie-ins to the animated Gen^13 movie continuity. But, reading the comics is not required.

There are also of course some slight to moderate hints at the animated Gen^13 movie. But, watching the movie is not required to read this fanfiction. It would help. But, it's not required either.

Even if you don't want to watch the Gen^13 movie, you can look it up on one or more Wikis with directly related information. The same can go for reading the Gen^13 comics. Though, I recommend looking them up on Comicvine as well to fill in the blanks(since it really can be a challenge to find information on them).

Five days after a fairly recent Sunday…

Logan is sitting on the ring of couches: In the Eyes Only Rec room. He's in his light blue long sleeved shirt and dark blue jeans.

Sitting opposite him…is a woman in her late thirties: In a light red woven sweater like dress, and with long curly black hair past the waistline.

Her name is Anin Janel. And, she looks far from comfortable.

Even though she tries to act like she isn't...her teary eyes give her away.

Sniffling… And mostly in Spanish with some English words… Anin Janel admits, "I know she may not still be alive. But, respectfully, as her mother…I think I have a right to know what happened to her."

In Spanish… Logan respectfully reasons, "understood. You also understand though that medical files from Manticore are a lot harder to pin down from 1981?"

Anin Janel reasons, "I do. But, since Eyes Only seems to have had some history with Manticore…I thought you would have a fair chance at finding her."

Somewhat assuringly, Logan says, "I'll see what I can do for you, Miss Janel. Though, it would go faster if I could have some more details about your time there. That is, if you wouldn't mind. I know it isn't a very easy thing to bring up."

Looking up at him, Anin Janel faintly smiles, "you are most kind, Mister Cale. But…I've thought about this for years. It's not the kind of thing you can just walk away from. And, I want answers."

Logan figures, "fair enough."

He gets out a little white notepad and a blue pen to note down some answers.

He questions her, "which state were you in at the time?" With plenty of distaste, Anin Janel recalls, "Gillette, Wyoming. I'll never forget it."

Logan considers, "sigh. I know this might be a very sensitive question for you. But, I should at least bring it up. What were the circumstances like…just before you had your baby?"

Anin Janel faintly sobs, "god, was that day torture! Sniffle!"

After a awkward minute though… She wipes her eyes with some tissues.

She takes a deep breath. She puts the tissues to the side.

And…she suddenly stares at him: Like she was waiting for him to continue.

Not expecting such a response from someone like this…Logan just sits there kind of stunned. And, he waits for her to continue.

More to the point…it reminded him of Max. And, he couldn't quite get why.

But, he knew better than to make her feel worse about her wholeheartedly coming to him for help. So, he remained silent for now.

Anin Janel continues, "I didn't want them to have the baby. But…I couldn't stop it. I fought with everything I had in me! But… Sniffle! They strapped me down and injected me with some kind of drug to make me unconscious."

That's when it all starts to hit Logan. And, he's looking very stunned. But, in the back of his mind...there's a hint of long lost hope for someone he holds dear.

In black and white… From more than a year ago…

Hannah said, "Max? There's something I didn't tell you before. I didn't want to get into it, I guess…because the more we talked, the harder it was to go through with what I had to do. It's about your mother."

Hannah continued, "I did know her. She wasn't like the others. Seven months into her pregnancy, she tried to escape…because she didn't want to give you up. Finally they had to put her under, she fought so hard."

A bit teary… Max wondered, "What happened after that?"

Hannah revealed, "She was moved to a psychiatric facility. I never saw her again after that."

Max asked, "What was her name?

Hannah concluded with deeply buried regret, "I don't know."

Max asked, "how old was she?"

A little teary herself…Hannah reflected solemnly, "about your age."

Presently…

Logan solemnly voices, "I'm sorry."

He realizes he's unintentionally put down the notepad on his side of the couches. But, he leaves it there: Not feeling he'll need it much after all.

Not sure what else to say… Anin Janel nervously says, "thank you. What about you though?"

Absentminded like, Logan wonders, "what do you mean?"

Anin Janel courteously puts it, "please excuse me, Mister Cale. But…you look like you just saw a ghost." Logan mysteriously says, "maybe I have. But, let's focus on you for a bit. Just one more question, if you wouldn't mind."

A little confused, Anin Janel agrees, "all right."

Logan figures, "thanks. Did you happen to know a dietarian by the name of Hannah Sukova?"

A little surprised, Anin Janel answers, "yes. She was one of the few doctors there who actually stopped to listen: Without having to scream…admittedly."

Logan faintly smiles in unspoken relief.

He reasons, "well, it's nothing to get embarrassed about. With things out of control as they were at the time…it was only natural to get angry." Anin Janel faintly smiles again, "you're a very understanding man, Mister Cale."

Logan admits outright, "well…I've had my fair share of falls. But, thanks."

In mixed feelings, Anin Janel adds, "you're welcome. So…you think you can find my daughter?"

Logan points out, "actually…she's closer than you think."

Anin Janel's eyes fill with hope. Yet… She checks uncertainly, "really?"

With a sympathetic hand out to hers… Logan tries to assure her, "we'll sure find out in a few minutes."

Meanwhile, on ground level…

Max's hand presses her Eyes Only International badge against the hand pad. And, the side door to the base automatically opens.

Back down…

Anin nervously asks, "this isn't some kind of trap, is it?"

She looks about ready to run at a moment's notice.

Logan mostly assures, "if so, it's not to my knowledge. You…just remind me a lot of someone close to me."

With a slight chuckle of relief, Anin faintly smiles, "I'm flattered."

Shortly after… The blackish metal tiles under Max's feet come down into the room. She comes down in her thin dark gray jacket over pale red.

Max casually figures, "ok. What's the mission for today? A escort to India to kick some drug cartel ass?"

As she walk over to the couches… She suddenly notices Anin and Logan turning to her. Max kind of awkwardly says, "and suddenly, it looks like I'm sticking my bitchy nose where it doesn't belong."

Anin suddenly looks very nervous: Not sure what to say.

In English… Logan tries to explain a little uneasily, "umm… Not exactly."

Max, looking kind of weirded out, sits down on the edge of the red couch. Anin is in the middle of the ring of couches, between red and green.

Max says uneasily, "ok."

In a matter of fact way… Logan introduces her, "Max…I'd like you to meet Anin: Your long lost mother."

Max goes wide eyed for a bit…before breathing a sigh of mixed relief. For the first time since Logan has ever known her…she even blushes a little bit.

Logan checks in concern, "you ok, Max?"

Trying to hide her embarrassment, Max faintly sighs, "yeah. It's great. Just… I'm sorry. I didn't know I was supposed to be formal all of a sudden."

With a faint bittersweet smile…Anin looks to her, "faint chuckle. It's okay. It seems like there's hope for you yet."

In Spanish… Max comments, "not exactly the kind of welcome I would expect from my mother of all people. Faint chuckle. Still… Guess it's less of a big dealio then." With some relief himself, Logan figures, "guess so."

Logan's getting to his feet.

He implies, "I'm going to step out for a while: Let you two have the couch."

Max smiles confidently, "sounds good. Later." Logan smiles back, "no problem."

Logan steps on the blackish tiles and makes his way up to the floor above.

Anin concludes openly, "he's a very nice young man." Almost sarcastically, Max remarks, "yeah: He's a real Messiah. You in the mood for some Chess?"

After a bit of awkward silence… Anin uncomfortably explains her thoughts, "if you won't take it out on me for losing if you lose. I know what Manticore experimented with with you…and what you're capable of doing."

Looking right at her…Max mostly assures her, "please. I'm not that bad. On the front lines, it's another story. But…you know."

With mixed feelings, Anin reasons with a faint smile, "not so much. But, I'm starting to." Max faintly smiles back.

In Japan, in the not too distant future…

The stars are out. The streets are plastered in pink and blue bubblegum pop and rock metal like billboards, along with towering skyscrapers rung with metallic observation decks on every third floor.

Off the coastal waters are jet black, blue, and yellow hydroelectric dams around little man-made metal islands of nuclear plants. But, that's not where a very important young man is tonight.

He's in his silvery blue tiled apartment, before the highest floor: Reserved for a special line of work called Sci-Tech Ops…in the shadows of the Japanese and American peoples. They're mostly though a Japanese technology branch right off from the N.S.C.: Short for the National Security Committee.

Just by the lobby…Juujun Na Slave by Akb48 is playing in a easy to see storefront for more "revealing" wear and more.

This man is Andrew Morgenthau. He has light brown short frontless hair, and a dark gray business suit and a red tie most of the time.

He's sitting down and on the phone. It's on the glass table and it's dark red.

Sounding tired multifold… Andrew is almost practically shouting, "no. I don't see all rebel children as terrorists. Sigh. Yes, Mister big shot. I know there were riots. Televised and everything! Sigh! Just… I didn't mean it. You're tired. I'm tired. I just see violent teachers in some of your corporate funded schools. And, I think that something should be done with them."

Before him… He has a open black suitcase. And, inside…is a faintly familiar computerized diagram of molecular strands of DNA and RNA.

With very mixed feelings, Andrew sighs heavily, "okay. Thank you. Good night, Mister Kameron."

He hangs up. He then mutters coldly to himself, "corporate cakehole."

Andrew heads to the bedroom. He takes off his business suit and hangs it up in the dark closet.

As he heads to the bathroom to brush his teeth… The sound of a fierce breeze comes. The window shutters shake.

He looks in the bathroom mirror. And…he sees the window outside the bedroom shatter.

A very dark greenish living bony shell of a man comes barging in…reeking of death and burning carbon. Pale sickeningly blue webbing like lines cover him head to toe, beating like a heart on a broken record. He calls himself Melanoma.

In a gruff yet very whispery voice, Melanoma mutters under his breath, "I oughta make Worst Episode Ever outta your sorry ass. But, that wouldn't look good for the millions to buy myself a Bloody Valentine 3D: Candy boxes for all the damn screwed up prettyboys and prettygirls!"

The bed is ripped to pieces in burning carbon with his long claws for hands.

The sprinkler system section over the bed goes off in automatic. Yet, the glass just restructured itself: Floating in the hole there like it was soldiered closed.

Andrew gasps in horrified expression.

He tries to pull the very convenient red emergency lever on the side of the black couch. But…two superpowered figures who are just floating outside the second window were just waiting for him to go for it.

One of them has a golden eye patch, golden gauntlets with yellow tint, a yellow sash over his waist, a black cape with inner dark red color, a jet black jumpsuit with red buckle like lines in the center, and bright blond hair in a long combed over sickle like hairstyle with hints of gray.

He menacingly speaks in contempt, "well… Almost feel sorry you're nothing but a ant. Such a waste of intelligence."

His codename is Threshold. And, as power goes…that's a understatement.

The second figure beside him has a red and green swirled jumpsuit with a mostly green section over her boobs, long straight silk like black hair down to her waist, and silver gauntlets with storm cloud gray tint. She glares at the scared sick guy before her, looking sickened by the mere sight of him.

Her codename is Rainmaker. But, like a cloudy stormfront…there's a lot more going on with her than meets the eye.

She generates a small gust of wind to shatter the second window…while Threshold uses his psychokinesis to keep the glass pieces so distant apart that he has no trouble aiming them right for Andrew's legs without any hitting the floor.

Andrew screams in piercing pain as he doubles over, clutching his glass embedded broken legs on his side on the floor. He cries out, "who…who are…?!"

Rainmaker mutters, "well, you just barely qualify to be as smart as the Teletubbies. And, they're already plenty kiddy. Can't we just kill him already?"

Threshold coolly and coldly says, "oh, by all means Sarah. Just not yet. The suitcase is just a cheap set. The real deal is in his head. Memorized, password protected…it won't matter: Once his mind is mine. Besides…security will be here very shortly. And, the less they know the better."

He's psychokinetically pulling Melanona and Andrew's bodies through the open window…just as he hears heavy footsteps and telepathically senses the minds of several security guards in dark red bodysuits and silver scuba diver like helmets.

Rainmaker makes a little tornado under her, Threshold, and a passing out Andrew. The sudden lack of oxygen outside makes Andrew pass out. They fly into the night sky: Far away from sight of security.

One of the security officers calls out, "what the fricking…? Suitcase is still there and everything!" Another of them points out, "except Andrew Morgenthau, sir." The first security officer mutters, "damnit."

Just to add insult to injury, the first window completely shatters: Letting a gust of cold air in before a metal wall automatically comes down on it.

Rainmaker reluctantly concludes, "fine. I just hope this is the very last time we have to keep doing this." Threshold mutters determinedly, "you and me both."

Back in Seattle, back into the present…

Anin realizes, "so he's with you?" Max shrugs, "not that I'm bragging about it. But…yeah. Is that so hard to believe?"

Anin highlights, "after years on the run…I don't find much to disbelieve anymore. It's how I kept hope alive that one day…"

Max finishes the sentence, "that you'd find me?"

Anin faintly smiles, "yes. But, I'm also happy for you."

Max faintly chuckles, "thanks."

Anin adds, "you're welcome. It's your move."

While they've been talking… They've been playing with Logan's chess set in the center of the ring of couches: Held up by a circular mostly glass table.

Max adds, "right."

She moves one of her black pawns to capture a rook threatening her queen.

Anin clears her throat kind of nervously. She realizes, "I wasn't expecting that." Max insists, "don't sweat it. Honestly? You're kind of better than Logan."

Anin starts saying, "well…I don't know what you mean by sweat. But…"

Max clears up, "as in don't worry about it."

Anin faintly nods, "ohh." She moves her white bishop to threaten a bishop.

Max faintly smiles, "well…if you insist."

She captures the bishop first, and lets the white queen take her bishop. Max then moves her queen past the white queen and places it very close to the white king: Followed by Anin moving her queen to defend her king, and Max bringing in her leftmost rook on the path to joining her queen.

Anin pieces together, "I'm not winning this one, am I?"

Max figures, "sorry. But, for real…you had a good run."

Anin faintly smiles in reflection, "to come all this way looking for you? I better have." Max faintly smiles back, "I'm sure you have."

That night, up in Logan's apartment…

Rain falls on the window. Thunder goes on and on.

Max is lying on the couch in her jet black jacket: Deep in thought, and looking sick to her stomach.

With the images of all her friends running through her mind… Past and present… She's thinking over and over:

Take away the ass kicking, and what am I? Just "this bitch" deluding myself on having friends I can kick it with until I kick them all away?

Logan out of nowhere says, "you ok?"

Faintly chuckling… Max turns to him, "why wouldn't I be?"

Standing there in the Chinese screen doorframe… Logan figures, "don't know. But, something tells me there's more to it than you want to admit."

Max partly admits, "it's not that I don't trust you. It's just…"

Logan asks, "just what?" Max insists, "just let me handle this."

Logan points out, "well…long as you're sure you can. I just don't want to see you crash and burn."

Max faintly smiles, "thanks. But, I'm sure."

Logan lets the matter drop, "ok. You know where to find me. Also… There's someone who flew in from Canada who needs our help."

Max sits up, turning to face him fully. She figures, "twice in one day?"

Logan reveals, "why don't you ask her yourself?"

Not far behind him is a fairly worried looking woman in her early thirties: With shoulder length dark red hair, dark blue jeans, a bluish black cleavage showing top with sleeves, and reading glasses in her pocket.

Drawn out and yet assertive sounding…she kind of awkwardly says, "hey."

Max walks up to her. She says back, "hey."

The woman checks, "you all right? You sound a little distant."

In mixed uncertainty, Max insists, "I'm fine. What do you need, miss…?"

The woman offers her hand in courtesy, "Fairchild. Caitlin Fairchild."

Max shakes her hand, still kind of confused.

Logan helps fill in some blanks, "who also happens to be somewhat acquainted with me and our friend Sydney Bloom, and happens to be head of a superhero team originally from the US called Gen^13."

Max faintly nods…now looking more the awkward one. She concludes, "nice. I've never heard of you. But, it's nice to meet more kick ass people."

In a mix of awkward amusement and curiosity… Caitlin chuckles, "why? You're good? It's just…I've never heard of you either. No offense."

Max faintly shrugs, "it's ok. Eyes Only is still kind of secret and all. With me though? It's a long story. You might want to hold off on asking."

Very uneasy, Caitlin figures, "fair enough. Straight to business then. It's about my brother." Already not liking where this is going…Logan figures, "ok."

Max wonders, "why? Is he being experimented on by the ZFA?"

Caitlin nervously says, "sorry. I didn't know you didn't tell her."

Max insists, "what?!"

A little teary eyed, Caitlin points out, "he doesn't need rescuing. He may be a murderous psychopath who is up to something. But…he's still my brother. I was hoping you guys could help me not have to kill him to stop him."

Max goes wide eyed: With even more mixed feelings tonight than before.

A short while later, in the Eyes Only Rec room…

Caitlin puts a DVD recording in one of the computers's DVD drives.

The monitor and keyboard has been moved to the other end of the couches.

Max casually asks, "any reason for playing it here? I mean, no big dealio. But…" In mixed feelings, Caitlin thinks out loud, "just one. I…guess I just kind of miss the good old days in So Cal: When you could just put your feet up and turn the TV…and then I'd complain to Roxy about putting her feet on the table."

Max concludes, "oh. Any problem with me doing it or anything?"

She's got a big blue ceramic bowl of popcorn that Caitlin brought with her from Canada. And, she's eating away at it here and there.

Caitlin faintly chuckles, "no. I've softened up a little in my "old age"."

Max comments, "good." She puts her feet up on the red couch she's on.

She double checks, "so…this will help with connecting the dots for me?"

Caitlin faintly smiles, "yeah. Figured it would just be easier to let this documentary do the talking: Especially with how I'm feeling."

Max solemnly says, "yeah. Sure. Play it."

And, with some really fast pressing of keys… Caitlin plays the recording.

On screen is the title card of a documentary called Gen^13: Behind the Power. It has Gen^13 in big red, and the rest in weird razors like black over brown.

Shortly after… A journalist comes on screen. But, she's far from typical.

She has red tribal war paint on her face, light blond hair mostly in a bun with two fairly thick strands in front, and a purple flower decorated revealing plastic gown. She's known as Lady Majestrix. And, she has a golden microphone.

With mostly watercolor tapestry like movie projector slides and news clips… Lady Majestrix goes ahead with the documentary:

Gen^13. During their spectacular yet oddball fueled career… This team of youthful Gen Active teenagers not only stood as a testament to the existence of superheroes…but also redefined the very definition of the American dream.

Back in the early 2000's, Gen^13 truly embodied the MTV Generation.

You had kids growing up on Saturday morning cartoons. You had your comics worshipping epic proportions and guns that'd make the Terminator feel like he went too far into the future. But, the one thing we agreed on was music videos. They were priceless…and stood as a godsend to the wonders of the human body.

Gen^13 was a paradisiacal wonder in itself. Their very faces were so diverse and relatable that any fan could look like them, and not even a US Sector Police officer would be able to tell unless their powers came out to play. And, even most of the US military didn't want that kind of black mark on their record.

There's the brilliant and still kind of young intellectual Caitlin Fairchild, the questionably intelligent Perceival Edmund "Grunge" Chang, the colorful rebellious Roxanne "Freefall" Spaulding(who doesn't look it, but is actually Caitlin's distant cousin), and the calculating rouge operative Agent Lynch.

A slide pops up of Gen^13 posing for the camera.

One of them is a younger looking Caitlin in a green Kevlar suit with violet down a side, matching boots, and no leggings. Another is Roxy: With bright pink bangs, mostly short mostly black partially dyed blue hair in the back, slightly shorter height, and a jet black jacket over a dark violent sleeveless top. The third is Grunge: With husky sized bulk, kind of short dark brown mullet like hair, a little scruff on his chin, gold earrings, very ripped blue jeans, red bands over his muscular arms, and a tattoo across his chest with faint green wings around a skull.

And, a fourth is cut out from the picture in a big blue question mark.

Max faintly smiles, "nice." Faintly smiling, Caitlin adds, "thanks."

The documentary goes on:

But, where did it all start? Where did they come from?

Each of their fathers was a member of the covert ops unit called Team 7.

CGI footage of the Cold War comes on: With American buff army men in black ops black helicopters high in the air in a firefight with Russian helicopters, in the midst of jet fighters fighting high over the Statue of Liberty. And, some on both sides are using gray jetpacks to try to sniper each other faster.

Max figures, "oh, come on. This is just CGI over G.I. Joe to look "fresh"!"

Embarrassed sounding… Caitlin realizes, "you can see that?"

Max figures, "yeah. Cat like eyes and parallel processing. Can't you?"

Caitlin reflects, "well…I wouldn't exactly go that far. But, there wasn't much other footage left to work with. So, they did the best they could."

Max voices kind of uneasily, "oh. I didn't know."

Caitlin mostly assures her, "it's ok. You didn't know." Max adds, "thanks."

The documentary goes on:

Exposed to the Gen Factor in a not so secret now government project, these men became Gen^12. Though…rumor has it there were at least more than one government project in attempts to "perfect" the procedure.

Two decades later, another not so secret now project was taking shape. The N.S.C. gathered the scattered children of Gen^12, seeking to develop a new generation of super-soldiers under their own power under the name Project Genesis. But, since the then soon to be superheroes caught on to this plan in time, they took the name Gen^13 for themselves just to stick it in the N.S.C.'s faces. And, it's been downhill for the N.S.C. ever since.

What is the Gen Factor, you may ask?

Well, as far as scientists can tell…it's basically tapping into thousands of years of genetics in advance. Rumor has it that it was started from the discovery of Ethan McCain's ability to tap into powers from parallel dimensions. But, fans of X-Men argue that the power to do that can only be attained by being from a far future. And, fans of Gen^13 argue that that means X-Men have been to plenty of "unnecessary" space civilizations themselves.

The government debate is currently scheduled for mid-2022 in Vancouver.

A court order comes across the screen saying "X-Men Science Sympathizers vs. Gen^13 Science Sympathizers".

Anyway… In the clash that followed… Fairchild got strength and speed through superhuman growing powers… Freefall's namesake power developed into gravity manipulation, and even of space and time in times of extreme peril… Grunge developed the ability to alter his molecular structure… One of Fairchild's former instructors at Project Genesis became the supervillain Threshold: Her long lost brother… And, one of the heads of Project Genesis escaped with most of the drugged unconscious students in the hope of further testing.

In the aftermath, Agent Lynch was the Zen to Gen^13. But, with a gun.

Threshold was believed dead in the fallout of the destruction of the base…only to turn out four years later that he faked his death by psychokinetically burying himself far enough into the earth to slip away.

Caitlin pauses the documentary. Max puts her feet down.

Caitlin awkwardly realizes, "hmm. Guess it doesn't tell you about…"

Turning to look right at her… Max checks worriedly, "what?"

Caitlin sighs deeply. She then explains, "because we're genetically closely related… I have something of a telepathic link to Matthew: My brother."

Max very uneasily asks, "is he here with us?"

A little frightened… Caitlin mutters, "now there's a scary thought. If he was…you'd be able to tell from my eyes. He's much angrier than me."

Max figures, "sorry. I had to ask." Caitlin mostly assures her, "yeah. It's fine. I would've asked the same thing, to be honest."

Max urges, "ok. So…?"

Caitlin explains more, "it's subconscious. At first, I could see his repressed memories without realizing it at first. As time went on over the years…I've realized it's more than that. Whenever he hurts others…I can feel it. It doesn't actually physically hurt me. But… Deep sigh. It's still painful in its own way."

Getting teary eyed, Max heavily sighs, "oh god. I can't imagine."

Caitlin concludes awkwardly, "please don't. It'd just hurt more. But…I also have the same kind of thing with Roxy. The first time Matthew hurt her…I knew everything about it: The who, what, when, how…and even the why."

Max says, "kind of too hard not to. Parallel processing, right?"

Caitlin figures astutely, "you were experimented on too: Weren't you?"

Max solemnly says, "yeah. But…now isn't the time to talk about it. We should be focused more on your brother."

Looking down fairly awkwardly… Caitlin reasons, "sure. But…I can give you my number: If you ever need to talk to a kick ass someone like me."

Max faintly chuckles, "thanks. Maybe I will."

Caitlin figures, "that's all I'm really asking. That…and to get back to the documentary." Max solemnly figures, "knew I was almost forgetting something."

Caitlin faintly smiles back as she resumes the documentary:

Project Genesis was forcibly shut down thanks to Gen^13.

Some of the students died from cases of bottled up accelerated DNA. But, thanks to Caitlin Fairchild and Agent Lynch's constant research, they were able to work up a way to purge most of them of the Gen Factor.

For four years, Gen^13 were able to live very comfortable happy lives. Unfortunately…the good times down in Southern California wouldn't last.

In the first few days of the Pulse hitting America… Threshold came back with a formerly purged Gen Active to close in on California and… You guessed it: Try to take over America. Her codename was Rainmaker.

News footage of them in the same clothes from earlier come on screen: With them flying over crashing burning cars, screaming people, and the mounting up earthquakes in the impending doom of Southern California.

Gen^13 though weren't about to just let that happen. So, they banded together in a valiant effort to protect the devastated country from him… Which led to the destruction of their safe house… As well as their retreat into Canada.

Talk about the right place at the right time though. Canada was on the brink of facing a Pulse any day now. And, Caitlin grew giant sized just to shield the entire country with her body. Whatever terrorists were responsible for the Pulses against Europe, America, and Australia…they certainly thought twice after that.

News coverage comes up: Of a hunched over Caitlin's giant butt covered over with green tarps and near naked over Canada…with rich boys around in fancy helicopters snapping pictures much to her chagrin.

Max can't help but chuckle a bit. She says, "sorry. But…what a spectacle."

Caitlin uncomfortably says, "least you got it out of your human impulses."

The documentary goes on:

In the wake of the national Caitlin Exposure Incident… Gen^13 rose to superhero rich and fame overnight.

Lucrative book, film, merchandising, and endorsement deals were offered to them across the country. Cash was flowed in…gushed in…and fire hosed in.

Truly, Gen^13 had reached the top of the world: Looking down at the more disheartened youth of the formerly united United States.

Max comments, "ouch."

Caitlin figures, "it's just one journalist: Don't take it too personally."

Max insists, "I'm not. But…thanks." Caitlin adds, "no problem."

The documentary goes on:

Agent Lynch went undercover to go after the vile inner workings of the Post-Pulse N.S.C…or sometimes just called the Committee.

Thanks to the work of agents like himself… And thanks to the destruction of their DNA lab by a group of unidentified X-5s… The N.S.C. was shut down inside and out in late August of 2019.

Max sees herself briefly caught on camera just before the DNA Lab blows up. She faintly smiles to herself as she recognizes herself.

But, Agent Lynch's whereabouts is currently unknown.

With her high academic marks in computers… Caitlin got everyone together to help Canada safeguard their technology from any Pulse.

But, her success didn't stop there. Oh, no. Her potent combination of keen intellect and girl power made her a international icon for everything from modeling and politics to teaching and comic cons. Her self published book "The Battle for Clothes and Courage that Don't Rip Easily" sold for billions in just twelve weeks.

A bunch of split screens of Caitlin in varying outfits appear: Including her green covered book, with red letters and a embarrassed look to her on the cover.

Roxanne Spaulding went on as a model and actress for Marvel shows in minor but enjoyable roles: After most of the film studios rejected her for her constant habits of smoking and hanging out with the lowest of the low.

Online newspaper clippings go by of Roxy hanging out on the town with Kanye West, Paris Hilton, and Nima Nourizadeh.

Grunge went on to create the super interactive porn site BangBangIsland: After most of the film studios rejected him because of auditioning for the same movies Roxanne was. But, after Playboy decided to dump more revealing pictures…Grunge was getting their deserts.

Three windows of Amazon like women in red war paint and revealing blue, red, and yellow clothing comes across the screen: Overlooking a tropical jungle, with BangBangIsland spelled out in tropical green leaves.

Six months later… Gen^13 took in a Gen Active street gang from Southern California calling themselves the Mongolian Barbecue Horde to try to help them reform away from Sector Police. With their usual distaste for corporate powers, they were hired as bodyguards. And, they ironically became close friends.

A group shot comes of Gen^13 out back of a red bricked house: Chilling in or around the pool in mostly green and black with the Mongolian Barbecue Horde.

One simply calls himself Nate: With medium frontless black hair, and a kind of stuck up yet cool attitude about stuff. A second is Trauma Queen: With shoulder length dark blond hair, lying back on a inflatable yellow flowery bed. A third is Twenty Man Tommy: With red hair gelled back in front, and a Baywatch lifeguard like look to him. The fourth is Voodoo Doll: With long white blondish hair just past her neck, and a collected yet kind of snarky attitude to her.

Then, in early 2011… Things took a heavy turn for the worse.

They had a falling out when Grunge was discovered having a affair with Trauma Queen. Nate accused him of getting her drunk to influence her consent.

Roxanne and Caitlin though defended him…when it turned out that Grunge just had that much of a one track mind. Caitlin's legal counsel declared that he is "too clinically retarded to tell one booty from another."

Confronted with such a unassailable legal stance… The jury found Grunge not guilty. But, it took Caitlin dragging him out to stop things from getting worse.

As they came out of the typical marble white courtroom… Grunge cries out "I'm not retarded!" just before Caitlin in a black business suit decks him.

She sighs nervously, "sorry, Grunge. But, it's better than the alternative."

Caitlin gets bigger sized enough to carry a unconscious drooling Grunge over her back. Her business suit rips apart around her sides. But, she doesn't care: Even with reporters looking for any excuse to catch her in a not so kind way.

Alongside her… Roxy adds, "yeah. Can we stop by Burger Elf?"

Off screen, Caitlin comments, "yeah: That was not a real good day."

Max shrugs, "I don't know. Sometimes, you just got to deck someone."

Caitlin voices uneasily, "remind me not to get on your bad side."

Max adds, "sure."

The documentary finishes:

Gen^13 may still be here. But, the Mongolian Barbecue Horde is well done.

Nate and Twenty Man Tommy walked out in hurt and stepped back into the underground scene: Going after corporations. They were captured by the military in late 2011, and were never heard from again.

Voodoo Doll stepped away to Mexico to think things over.

And, Trauma Queen fell into a deep depression. She admitted herself to a psychiatric facility for three full years, and is currently residing alone in Canada.

That's all the time we have for today. And, please don't forget to take a…

Max stops the documentary there.

She reasons, "not that I mind the history lesson. But, we should probably move out as soon as we can." Caitlin faintly nods, "don't have to tell me twice."

She goes over to the computer console to take out the DVD…putting it back in a still kind of cold CD case.


	2. Act 2: Drive Thru Thru the Motions

One Gen to Another: A Dark Angel/Gen^13 Fanfiction Crossover Story

Act 2:

On the way out…

Max is fast walking her way over from the trees: Keeping a cautious eye out for a certain superpowered guy with a golden eye patch.

Caitlin's dark bluish gray plane is out on the side of one of the very few hills near Seattle, out in the forest over yonder with a extended ramp.

Roxy is floating over the downward angled plane: In her open black jacket over a white T-shirt with a angel with devil horns on it. In a southern like sugar coated voice… She goes, "come on already! Threshold's not gonna get any younger...or happier really."

In a thin gray jacket, Caitlin groans annoyedly. She calls out, "god, Rox! Do you really have to start? It's late!"

Roxy faintly smirks, "oh, I don't know. The sooner you get in, the sooner I'll stop. Then you have plenty of hours to sleep in on the way."

Caitlin faintly smiles, "sometimes, you surprise me by being smart."

Roxy comments, "it's part of the charm of this girl, girl. Part of the charm."

Caitlin slightly chuckles as she opens the side door and walks through.

Max ends up being the next to last one to board.

But, just as she's about to board… Something unexpected happens.

Down to a whisper, Max exclaims, "mother? What are you…?!"

Appearing out of nowhere…Anin insists, "sorry for being this blunt, Max. But, I'm coming with you."

She's partially freezing and faintly sniffling. But, she doesn't seem to care.

Uneasy sounding… Max urges within reason, "but…wouldn't it be safer for you to stay in Seattle, away from the fighting?"

With very mixed feelings… Anin deeply sighs, "you're right. It would be. Maybe I also still don't feel so comfortable around you. But…it's been so long since I found you. I also can't stand the thought of losing you again. Please."

Max faintly sighs. She concedes reluctantly, "well…ok. But, just this once."

Anin faintly smiles, "thank you."

They both walk through the door. Max closes it behind her.

Roxy floats back down, touching down just behind the back of the plane.

She's been resting her eyes out of boredom, with a cigar in her mouth. But, the sound of the closing door woke her right up: Much to her chagrin as the smoking cigar falls out of her mouth in startlement.

On the ground… Roxy comments with some relief, "well, that's one cigar butt down the hill. Still… Finally getting off my butt and sending off this heap of junk like we shoulda done already!"

She calls out, "strap yourselves in, kids: It's time for take off!"

Logan, Max, Anin, Grunge, and Caitlin's briefly seen hands are strapping on their seat belts in the dark blue rimmed gray seats.

Roxy starts glowing in a faint blue flames like aura.

She sends a faint blue blast of gravimetric distortions into the plane...making it lightweight beyond the laws of physics in a faint blue aura of its own.

The plane begins floating up towards the atmosphere along with Roxy: wheels and all. The wheels spin super fast off of the hill, and yet stay intact.

The generic male pilot in front starts the engines.

As soon as it reaches 3000 ft…Roxy lets it go.

The plane takes off with ease into the dark of night.

But, whilst still glowing in a faint blue aura, Roxy distorts her own center of gravity to dive down hard for the back fin of the plane.

She catches it, letting her gravity switch from heavier to lighter in seconds.

She lets out a roar of laughter from the rush.

The plane goes level in a matter of minutes. And, Roxy then simply walks most of her way down: With the ramp still in place for her to touch down on.

Meanwhile, on the plane…

Caitlin is on a gray laptop, listening to a recorded podcast on her light blue headphones. Roxy's black rimmed jet pink laptop and red rimmed jet pink headphones are left for Roxy in the next seat over: Facing the window.

Grunge is sitting across from Caitlin: Mostly half asleep, snoring, and drooling a little in his seat. He was up partying with Roxy. But, he didn't get as much sleep as her.

The entranced sounding male broadcaster is saying:

…and welcome back to Conversation Nation. The study asked all about ASMR-triggering content, what conclusive effect it has had on Group A's and Group B's moods, and why we might watch ASMR videos. There was a remarkable consistency across the groups as far as triggering content goes. Whispering worked for most of the focus testers, followed by some more personal attention, crisp sounds, and slow movements.

With some mixed feelings, Caitlin is talking to herself, "well, it's sort of fascinating. But…not sure how comfortable I feel about intentional subliminal messaging giving me a dial for pleasure."

Max is sitting beside Anin. But, she looks distracted: Looking out to the faintly visible lights of Washington miles away. And, much to Logan's unease not too far away.

Not looking up… Anin sighs nervously, "maybe I shouldn't have boarded the plane. You seem upset."

Max heavily sighs. She insists, "no: It's not that. It's just…"

Anin wonders uncertainly, "just what?"

In realization…she mutters, "damn."

Max quickly reaches for her meds in her pocket. But, they're under the seat belt. And, her seizures are starting to come real fast.

Anin looks very alarmed, "should I get you…?"

Shaking… Max tells her, "my meds are in that pocket. Help me?"

Without another word… Anin nods.

Anin unfastens Max's seatbelt for her.

She takes out the bottle of Tryptophan in her pocket, and she opens it. Max quickly reaches for it: Pouring some meds down her throat.

She drops the bottle. But, Anin catches it and fastens it closed.

The seizures start to get easier to deal with.

Max faintly smiles as she gets the bottle back from her. She adds, "thanks."

With a faint smile, Anin kind of uneasily says, "least I could do for you."

Around this time… Roxy has made her way back in: Sitting down in her seat to warm up from being outside in a open jacket for a long time. That, and to have a smoke.

Logan checks, "you ok?" He's just come over to check on Max.

Max figures, "yeah. I'm ok now. Anin helped with that."

Logan faintly nods, "seems like you're in good hands. When you got a minute, Anin… I'd like to talk to you." Anin figures, "I wouldn't expect less."

Logan says, "ok." He sits back down in his seat.

Max figures, "guess you didn't tell him, did you?"

Kind of embarrassed, Anin reasons, "like I said…I haven't found much reason to trust much anyone else. Guess I still need some time to get used to trusting people again."

With a sympathetic look on her face… And even as she's rocking herself… Max assures her, "don't feel so down. I've been there: I know what it's like."

Anin says solemnly, "thank you. So…can you tell me now what has been upsetting you?"

A little teary… Max doesn't give a clear answer, "I'll think on it."

Not sure what else to say… Anin uncomfortably nods. She gets out of her seat to talk to Logan. And, Max just looks down at the floor: Glaring at herself.

After feeling warm enough, Roxy goes to reach for her headphones. But, she pauses. Roxy wonders, "what was that all about?"

Caitlin pauses the podcast and takes off her headphones. She reasons, "I don't think it's any of our business, Roxy. Not unless she asks for us to help, anyway."

Roxy responds in a assuring way, "nah. I'm not talking about that. You're right. I meant about the episode of Animal Planet that I passed by on my way in."

Awkwardly… Caitlin says with some relief, "oh. That. I'm sure Max is ok, Rox. Otherwise, Logan would let us know she needs medical attention. He is close to her and sitting right across from her, after all."

Roxy figures, "oh, yeah. I kind of forgot." Caitlin insists, "it's ok."

Roxy adds, "cool."

She's about to get her headphones on again. Caitlin then catches sight of the paused music video for Mr. Playboy from the super controversial Kiyoshi Ryujin 25 from Roxy's laptop and headphones.

Almost like a scolding mother… Caitlin realizes, "Roxy… You're still listening to those creeps?"

Roxy argues, "hey: Least it's consensually creepy. It's totally different!"

Caitlin comments, "not really. Even if you take away the misogyny aspect...it promotes human trafficking."

Kicking back, Roxy just shrugs it off, "nah. You're just reading too much into it, Caitlin: Like the cartoon junk you watch over and over on Saturdays."

Faintly smirking, Caitlin is quick to point out, "hey! You like some too: Just not as much." Roxy comments back, "just not as religiously, you mean. They're all right. But… Faint chuckle. The DVDs alone are down to their last ring around. Know what I'm saying?"

Caitlin admits awkwardly, "well…that's true. I can't help it: I study the hell out of most everything. But, at least we can both agree on cartoons. At least they don't go out of their way to promote creepy." She motions with her arm on that last part, like she's pointing to a chalkboard.

Roxy smirks, "true. Though…still not backing down, cuz! They haven't been arrested for anything, and that's all there is to it."

Caitlin mumbles under her breath, "not yet, anyway."

Roxy wonders absentmindedly, "what?" Caitlin figures, "nothing."

With a cool smile, Roxy shrugs, "whatev. I'm gonna just kick back and listen to some tunes."

She puts back on her headphones. Caitlin just rolls her eyes.

A few hours later into the flight…

Caitlin wakes up with a startle: Hearing thunder outside the window. Most everyone has got some white pillows for sleeping against reclining back seats.

Caitlin looks around, "what the hell…?!"

The plane seems to stretch for miles. Babies out of everyone else are bundled up in the chairs: Crying their heads off or sucking their thumb. Yet, Caitlin is a teenager again with glasses in a white nightgown: Like what she wore to sleep in Project Genesis.

Caitlin unbuckles. She goes towards the cockpit, very dizzily.

She wonders to herself, "what happened?! Do we even have a…pilot?"

She gets to the cockpit…only to find a sickeningly green body.

The pilot looks to be a shot dead zombie, with greenish water seeping out from its mutated half floppy half decayed skin. It calls out all gurgled, "h…e…l…p…m…e…!"

Caitlin gasps in horror, "my god." A tear falls down her face.

She then sees…Threshold out the shattered window: Floating there.

Caitlin cries out, "Matthew. What did you do to him?!"

With arms to the side… Threshold just echoes, "we are the children of the future: Man's evolutionary step toward godhood. His life was as worthy of contempt as the ants beneath our feet."

Medical greenish nanites swim in the sickly water. The water expands more and more with each second: Filling up the plane. The echoes get distorted, "either manifest your powers or kill you…! If you won't join me…our chance to destroy that government…create our own… Then…I promise you…diseased…death!"

Caitlin tries to close the cockpit door…only to find there isn't one.

She cries out, "no: No! ! !"

The water overtakes her and the crying babies...swarming with nanites and bizarrely flailing around thin black breathing tubes.

Caitlin's last breath is just a gurgle…as Threshold just stands there grinning disturbingly at the scene.

Then…

Caitlin wakes up for real…gasping for air.

She then realizes there is no rising water, and tries to take deep breaths.

She looks around very nervously. No one has turned into babies. Most everyone is sound asleep. And, there's no more thunder to be heard.

She breathes a huge sigh of mixed relief.

Very much worried, teary eyed, and anxious… She mutters quietly to herself, "what the hell was that supposed to mean?"

Max wonders, "you okay?"

A little startled… Caitlin realizes Max is up: Standing right there.

Caitlin states the obvious, "do I look ok?!" Uneasily, Max says, "sorry."

Caitlin sighs heavily into her hands.

She says, "no: I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled." Max insists, "it's ok."

Out of nowhere… In his slow but mostly cheerfully carefree voice… Grunge wonders kind of uneasily, "another nightmare, Kat?"

Kind of embarrassed, Caitlin says, "yeah. Pretty much. And good early morning to you too, Grunge."

With a jet brown Nintendo DS in hand, Grunge figures, "thanks. But, could you keep it down a little guys? I'm trying to beat Roxy's high score on Evolve."

Caitlin adds, "sure." Max just rolls her eyes, "whatever."

With a big smile on his face, Grunge just goes back to his video game.

Caitlin wonders out of curiosity, "and just what are you doing up so early, if you don't mind my asking?" Max points out like it's obvious, "I don't sleep."

With concern, Caitlin checks, "and you're not even a little tired?"

Max faintly shrugs, "some sharks don't get sleepy. For all I know…maybe I just have shark DNA." Going back to sounding nervous…Caitlin goes, "fascinating. If I wasn't so shaken up, I'd be geeking out over it."

Max faintly chuckles, "thanks, I guess."

She turns back to another thought, "so…you had a nightmare about your brother?"

Caitlin voices, "yeah. Except, it felt…different. Like, some trippy vision from the Force or some thing."

Max sits down on the floor. She asks, "like…what?"

Caitlin then tells her about her nightmare.

For what feels like hours…they're both uncomfortably silent: Thinking.

Out of the silence… Caitlin then figures, "nanites."

Max wonders, "what? They remind you of some corporate asses?"

Caitlin moderately sighs, "not exactly. Do you know what the Activator Drug is?"

Max concludes, "is it how Gen Active becomes active? Cause other than that…I have no idea."

Caitlin reasons, "pretty much: Except for Ethan McCain…whose samples of DNA were experimented with by Project Genesis." Max figures, "ouch."

Max then hits on something, "wait." Caitlin asks, "what?"

Max suggests, "you said that the water level rose with those nanites. I take it they administered the drug into their test subjects through breathing tubes and cryogenics?"

Caitlin looks both embarrassed and impressed, "yeah. They knocked you out first with knockout gas. But…" She then realizes what she's thinking, "somehow…he's found a way to release the Activator Drug in the water…or in gaseous form: As a virus."

Max reasons further, "with Dr. Tanaka's recombinant technology that Sci-Tech rediscovered in recent months…and with Andrew Morgenthau held captive so that Threshold can go all Darth Vader on his ass until he caves."

Caitlin figures grimly, "unless he already has."

Max reasons, "he's still alive. For better or worse…he seems to be alive."

Caitlin faintly nods, "yeah. You're right: That does seem most likely."

Max adds, "would make more sense though to be in gaseous form. It's mainly put together from your memories, and the water is just cryogenic."

Caitlin figures with a faint smile, "true. You're a very smart young woman, Max."

Half sarcastically, Max faintly smiles, "well, thanks. I try."

Caitlin faintly chuckles, "you're welcome. But…there's one thing that seems very odd…er." Max reasons, "the memories put together?"

Caitlin faintly nods. She points out, "I may have seen repressed memories of his past. But…never jumbled like this."

Max figures, "I'm not sure I get it either. There's one way to find out though."

Tiredly, Caitlin figures, "right. Think I'll sleep on it though, if you don't mind."

Max faintly nods. She says, "sounds good."

Caitlin figures, "and if Rainmaker and Threshold come in?" Max mostly assures her, "then I'll make sure they don't leave without getting their asses kicked."

Caitlin faintly smiles, "good. But, only if there's no other way."

Max adds, "I know. Get some sleep." Caitlin figures, "hopefully."

She's back to sleep before she knows it.

Turning over to Grunge… Max wonders curiously, "so…what's the dealio with Evolve anyway?"

Grunge figures, "the deal? Sorry. I don't get it."

A little annoyed, Max explains simply, "as in what's up."

Grunge goes, "ohh. With Evolve? It's real cool. It's like monster movie meets every other action movie like thing on this alien world called Shear. But, you can play as the monster too."

Max faintly chuckles, "real nice. Mind if I watch?"

Grunge figures, "sure. But…are you coming on to me?"

Max figures plainly, "well, if you do…I'll kick your ass out the back of the plane. That is, if Roxy doesn't beat me to it." Grunge figures a little uneasily, "sorry."

Max concludes, "don't feel so down. I heard about your one track mind."

Grunge faintly smiles, "thanks." Max adds with a faint smile, "no problem."

The next day, in Japan…

The sun is out. It's the late afternoon of October 31st.

The children are playing in daycares with little skirts and shirts.

A lot of men and women in business suits are walking from floor to floor.

The streets are still plastered in pink and blue bubblegum pop and rock metal like billboards. But, not much of anyone is on the streets at this hour but corporate hired security: Such as the guys in red bodysuits from last night.

Oddly enough though, there are over fifty mostly very dark blue cybernetic gear and claw like jointed humanoid robots walking in broad daylight with little red lights all over them. And, no one questions it. Not even the few men and women in business suits stepping out to go from one skyscraper to another.

Up in one skyscraper in particular though… Logan and Anin are up in a big golden red tinted tiled family sized apartment. Most everyone else is elsewhere.

Logan is in a gray long sleeved shirt, sitting on the black couch with Caitlin's borrowed laptop. He's using it to hack into Andrew's laptop: Which is still in corporate hands. Anin is drying herself off from a hot bath with black lined red towels.

Logan's brought up a corporate profile on the laptop. Except…there isn't much on Andrew: Not even a college diploma or what office he's located in. He looks puzzled.

Anin wonders uneasily, "may I ask what you're doing, Mister Cale?"

Logan faintly sighs, "classified Eyes Only work."

Anin realizes, "oh. Sorry."

Logan slightly turns to her, "it's ok. But…can I help you with something, Anin? You seem troubled." Anin faintly smiles, "it's that obvious?"

Logan figures, "yeah. It kind of is. I take it it's about Max?" Anin figures, "yes. I'm not sure she even wants me around. Maybe you're more sure though."

With a heavy sigh… Logan concludes, "I don't think it's you, Miss Janel. She wouldn't admit this to anyone. But…she's been mostly keeping to herself for the past several days: Even from her best friend."

Fairly worried… Anin figures, "oh. I see. Do you know why?"

Logan faintly smiles, "knowing Max…it'll come up sooner or later: When she's ready to tell someone."

Anin faintly smiles, "thank you. That does help a little. I just hope she's ok."

Logan figures assuringly, "you'll be the first to know."

Out on the observation deck on the third to top floor…

Not much of anyone is out here.

It's only Max looking out to the clear blue sky, and Caitlin beside her. Max is in her ripped and torn dark blue sleeveless top, with yellow motorcycle light like yellow strips. Caitlin is in a green sleeveless top with a red funny face of a tongue sticking out.

Max wonders, "so…what's the dealio on them?" She looks out to the humanoid robots as she says it.

Caitlin suddenly realizes, "ohh. Sorry. I almost forgot to mention them."

Max reasons, "it's ok. So…what are they?"

Very uneasily… Caitlin answers, "they're the highest level of Japanese corporate security. They're collectively called A.N.N.A: Short for Active Non-Negotiable Assassin units." Max reasons snarkily, "so the corporations went out and made their own assassin toys to kill each other with."

Teary eyed, Caitlin mutters, "god, no: It's much worse." She sighs heavily.

She then goes on, "when corporations were brought together by the government to build countermeasures to withstand a Pulse, they set up hydroelectric dams to counterbalance concerns with nuclear power. But…it didn't stop there. Sci-Tech was among those corporations: A overseas division of the N.S.C. gone mad with power. They created A.N.N.A. Most of the other corporations jumped on the chance to kill the politicians they didn't like. And, anyone who didn't…was found dead."

Max looks wide eyed. She turns to her apologetically, "I'm sorry."

Looking down… Caitlin solemnly says, "so am I. I just wish we could've stopped them in time." Max figures, "kind of same here. Reminds me too much of Manticore."

Caitlin astutely realizes awkwardly, "so…that was…?"

Max nods kind of awkwardly, "yeah. I'm guessing when Gen^13 research went sour, they were formed by the N.S.C. to experiment with animal DNA."

In the moment… Caitlin hugs her tight. She goes, "oh my god. I'm sorry."

Not looking phased much… Max hugs her back. She comments, "it's ok."

As they both pull away… Caitlin uneasily checks, "you're sure?"

Max explains more, "well…for real? Yes and no. I may still hate Manticore. But…I became a revved up girl over it. Can't say I really hate that part of my creation. Besides…Manticore is dead. And, I'm satisfied enough with that as it is. Should we be worried about Stormtroopers going through our things though?"

Caitlin faintly smiles, "long as we're not after them, they won't. But, yeah: I can see where you're coming from on both fronts. Still…"

Max asks, "what?"

Caitlin faintly chuckles nervously, "something tells me you didn't come up here just to ask about the mission." Max realizes, "it's that obvious?"

Caitlin points out, "from years of hanging out with "revved up" people like Roxy and Grunge? Pretty much."

Partly amused… Max faintly smiles, "fair enough. Can…I ask you something?"

Caitlin insists assuringly, "yeah. Of course."

Max nervously asks, "how bitchy do you think I am?"

Caitlin looks at her casually, "come on, Max. I barely even know you." She realizes fairly quickly though, "you're serious though?"

Max admits, "maybe I am. But…we seem to know each other fairly well: One government test subject to another."

Caitlin sarcastically adds, "gee, thanks." Max says, "sorry."

Caitlin faintly chuckles awkwardly, "umm…not to be rude or anything. But, haven't you heard of sarcasm? You certainly seemed to be fairly fluent in it."

In hard hitting realization… Max goes, "oh, god. Maybe I am going in circles."

She's standing behind Caitlin now, who turns away from the rung to look at her.

She insists casually, "I sure think so. And, that's coming from me. I read too much into things sometimes. Roxy and Grunge can be real pains too. But, they're my closest friends. Everyone can be a pain sometimes: It's just a matter of degree really."

Max faintly sighs, "sorry. But, that doesn't really help me one way or the other."

She suddenly groans, clutching her head in throbbing pain. She feels a all too familiar creep's echoes inside her head: Just like in Caitlin's nightmare.

Caitlin rushes over to try to help her. She calls out, "Max!"

Just as quickly though…a gust of wind sweeps her off the observation deck. And, just when she's too distracted to see Rainmaker show up from the sky.

Rainmaker calls out angrily, "you knew this was coming, Caitlin!"

Caitlin tries to grab hold of the golden rung. But, it's too late to as she goes flying.

Caitlin screams as Rainmaker releases her like a sling...launching her straight at a billboard for a mostly purple soda can brand called Poppin' Rockin' Soda in Japanese.

The electrical sparks from it electrocute her.

But, the extreme stress of the impact leaves her growing as big as the billboard: Looking only slightly stunned. She groans violently and shakily though as the electricity passes through her. And, her top and jeans look mostly ripped through.

Rainmaker rides on a gust of wind, making her way towards a fallen Caitlin.

She mutters determinedly, "first, I'm going to kill you for robbing me of my rightful powers. Then, every other N.S.C. sympathizer on Mother Earth!"

Max shouts out, "get out…Matthew!"

She high jump kicks into a surprised Threshold in the air…sending him crashing against the then dented in observation deck.

Meanwhile…

Roxy and Grunge are down in the mall like lobby of the skyscraper, checking out a Manga and comic book store plastered with Marvel 2099 futuristic gun blazing artwork.

Grunge is in a dark orange T-shirt. And, Roxy is in a dark green sleeveless top.

From a dark blue rack, Grunge is looking at a comic of Hulk 2099: With a bizarre Gozilla like version of the Hulk with a black mane of hair, a grossly sticking out red long tongue, and raptor claws charging at the reader before a red nuclear blast like fallout.

Grunge chuckles, "The Gamma Bomb. Like no one knew that was coming."

He then peeks through the first pages. And, he instantly starts losing interest. He mutters, "All for Nothing After All? Guess you're a fricking waste of time, huh comic?"

Grunge just hurls the comic back on the rack, leaving it on its side.

Going over to Grunge… Roxy faintly chuckles, "guess you showed that comic, huh Grunge?" Grunge smiles brightly, "yeah. I sure did. Found anything you like?"

Roxy blushes a little, "well…I did find those rare Sailor Moon issues I can't seem to find in Canada." Grunge figures, "that sounds great, Rox." Roxy adds, "thanks, dude."

They kiss each other deeply, not caring who's looking.

Then…comes the terrifying smell of death and burning carbon.

Melanoma roars, "I warned you not to go out tonight, Tom Savini wannabes!" He tears off the burning revolving door in his path and hurls it into a metal checkout desk.

A emergency red lever is pulled from somewhere. And, screams fill the lobby. Hundreds of people are running out the building from the mostly golden elevators.

Some corporate security in dark blue bodysuits and infrared beam like fiberglass helmets are running out the back: Armed with laser light like silvery laser rifles.

One of them is carrying something. But, they go out the back door first. He orders, "hold him off, and meet me at the station!" A second guy says, "affirmative."

Meanwhile…

A.N.N.A. units lock their sensors on the skyscraper with Threshold crashing down into one of its observation decks. And, their orders are to converge on it.

As they start to converge on it…with their arms transforming into laser rifles...

Another Gen Active guy is coming down from a thermal air glide to get in their way. He's flaming all over, with medium light blond hair and a small matching goatee past all the smoke and flames around his head.

In a cool yet wound up kind of voice… He calls out, "hey, corporate metal asses! This is Burnout, coming to you live from the Scorching Hot Desire to Fry You channel!"

Burnout shoots fire out from his arms, trying to torch the A.N.N.A. units.

That is, until he quickly realizes that it's not doing a blessed thing to them.

He mutters, "shit! You're flameproof, aren't you?"

One of the A.N.N.A. units orders robotically, "surrender or die."

Burnout talks back, "gee, let me think. Oh, right: Not today, metal asses!"

He goes, "oh, shit. Maybe I should've thought this through!" He thermally glides between the lasers shooting at him, as lines of fire are etched into the road.

Meanwhile…

Logan is digging deep into Sci-Tech Ops files…when he suddenly goes wide eyed.

With his fist against the table… He mutters under his breath, "damn!"

Now in a black lined red bathrobe, Anin wonders, "Mister Cale? Are you…?"

Logan hurriedly gets up. He figures lowly, "no time to explain! If anyone comes barging in, grab the laptop and run. Don't look back."

Anin very nervously says, "excuse me, Mister Cale. But…!"

Logan insists, "I'll explain later." He rushes out the door, closing it behind him.

Anin bites her lip nervously, looking out to the chaos out on the streets.

A all too familiar face is left briefly on the laptop screen: Just before the Eyes Only informant net automatically logs Logan out. It's of Jude: Also known for a brief time as Dr. Tanaka's adoptive son and Prodigy.

Back with Max and Caitlin…

Caitlin waits until the last second to tumble to her feet…with Rainmaker just missing her. A lightning blast strikes right through sidewalk, going up in flames.

Teary eyed, Caitlin says, "Sarah! We're not your enemy. Please don't do this."

Rainmaker mutters, "you should've thought of that before you joined them."

She traps Caitlin in a highly focused column of wind around her head…making her gasp for air: Even as she continues to grow as big as a skyscraper.

Threshold groans painfully. Sounding kind of impressed… He realizes, "your thoughts are quicker than I expected, Max. Almost as fast as a computer program."

Max faintly chuckles mockingly, "oh. A little X-5 brought you down to earth? How pathetic. You're not as powerful as Caitlin says you are."

Max charges at him. But…Threshold was expecting it.

He motions up to psychokinetically twist the whole deck into a ball of metallic.

Max mutters, "ohh, crap."

Back with Burnout…

Burnout then hits on a idea. And, a menacing grin comes over him.

He manipulates the fire in the pavement with his powers to run underground: Making the ground explode under the A.N.N.A. units's feet. They all go flying in debris.

In the midst of it all… Burnout calls out, "not today, metal asses! Not today!"

Back with Grunge and Roxy…

Grunge and Roxy pull away.

Grunge realizes, "I don't want to go superhero right now. But..."

Roxy sighs reluctantly, "yeah. You're right, Grunge." She starts to have a smoke.

She turns back to him, "where are you going? The living fungus creep is right there!" Grunge calls back, "got to go superhero in the stall: Like Superman!"

Roxy tries to go, "Grunge, our superhero identities….! Oh, screw it."

The sprinkler system section over the desk kicks in. Corporate security starts blasting away. But, all it does is blast away already burning up carbon within him.

One of them goes, "who the hell is this guy?!"

Melanoma slashes his burning claws right through some innocents…frying them instantly in their screams.

With the cigar thrown away in the trash… Roxy comes out to face off Melanoma.

She calls out tauntingly, "hey, fungus creep! Tom Savini called. Says you're tap dancing on his style!" She simultaneously sends a big blast of gravimetric distortions into Melanoma: Forcing him down on his knees.

Roxy calls out, "go!"

The rest of most of the crowd gets out ok.

One of the two remaining security officers in the lobby mutters, "don't have to tell us twice. Good luck." They run out the back. Roxy faintly laughs back, "thanks."

Melanoma roars in infuriation, "I'm gonna Tom Savini your sorry ass, girlie!"

He rips apart the floor under him, hurling pieces of it at Roxy. Roxy reactively lets go of her hold on Melanoma to gravimetrically blast down the flying pieces.

Melanoma grabs her by the throat, tearing into her burning sides. She screams as dark red liquid comes dripping down.

Roxy though has dealt with intense pain before. And, she sends a gravimetric blast right into his arm. It surprisingly only fluctuates for a bit. But, it's just enough.

Roxy makes herself heavier as she lands on her feet, putting out the flames from the rush as she dents the floor. She mutters, "I really am starting to fricking hate you!"

Grunge then calls out, "pick on someone your own size, why don't ya?!"

He charge tackles Melanoma: Absorbing his constantly regenerating burning virally Gen Active carbon cells and moldy like remains for regenerating skin cells.

Roxy comments, "god! You took forever, Grunge." Grunge comments back, "when you got to go…" Roxy rolls her eyes, "sigh. fine. Let's just take him."

Melanoma slams Grunge into the floor, completely shattering it.

But, Grunge just shakes the impact and flames off with his newfound regeneration and gets up: Much to Melanoma's speechless shock.

Grunge highlights, "got to try harder than that, creepy dude."

He jump punches Melanoma face down in a Kung Fu like cry to daze him, while Roxy gravimetrically collides the cells in his stomach to give him stomach pain.

Melanoma is coughing violently…as they both punch him out with their powers.

The flames around him dissipate…as he collapses in a heap of regenerating carbon.

Roxy faintly laughs, "he wasn't so tough after all, now was he?"

Grunge figures, "yeah. Can we get something to eat? I'm hungry."

Roxy comments, "you're always hungry, Grunge. After I pay for my Sailor Moon issues though? You got it." Grunge smiles back, "sounds good."

Back with Logan…

Logan is running for the nearest elevator in a big hurry.

He's trying to reach Max with his phone, "Max? Can you hear me? Max?!"

In the back lot though… It's already too late to stop the kidnapper.

The security officer escorting Jude out has been telepathically hypnotized: Looking all too happy with letting a Gen Active someone in purple dyed slung over hair down to her shoulder instruct him where to go. They're in a jet blue Sci-Tech car.

She's in a dark red gown and black sunglasses, and with a creepy smile. Her codename is Bliss. She's sitting in back: Right next to a telepathically hypnotized Jude.

To Threshold… And in a drawn out giggly and bubbly voice… She telepathically tries to say, "aww. But, he's so adorably handsome. Can't I do him just once?"

Threshold insists, "don't make me recite my history lesson for you, Nicole! But, just so you don't go crying to your dead mama though…how about this? After the mission is through…I'll get you as many human slaves as you could want. Ok?"

Bliss sighs, "you win, Matthew. It better be over soon though."

Threshold insists on multiple fronts, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Back with Max and Caitlin…

Max falls off the edge of the metallic ball. And she finds herself plummeting down off away from the next rung over: With Threshold psychokinetically making it so.

Max calls out, "this is why I got a crossbow, you pathetic superpowered bastard!"

As she does…she pulls out her crossbow and aims for the rung below. And, she launches a hooked cable from it.

Threshold mockingly laughs, "you think a mere crossbow is going to get the best of me, little super processor girl?!"

He psychokinetically pulls Max and the cable up for his level.

Max smirks, "not exactly."

She hurls the cable right into Threshold's ball, using the momentum to violently kick him off. His concentration is broken as the metallic ball falls apart into pieces.

Even whilst stunned though… Threshold reactively psychokinetically pulls Max along: Spinning her in her own cable as she struggles angrily to get out.

They both crash through office after office…glass window after glass window.

Someone pulls a emergency red lever. And, most everyone at their desks in their black business suits are clearing out in a panic.

Just as Rainmaker is about to finish Caitlin…she hears Threshold's telepathic thoughts calling out to her in desperation. Rainmaker mutters, "this isn't over, Caitlin!"

She flies off for the skyscraper Threshold is in…leaving Caitlin to fall unconscious against several then smashed in skyscrapers.

Luckily, they're mostly intact. And, most everyone wasn't on those lower levels.

Max crashes into a desk…which knocks out her heavily bruised and scraped all over body under a pile of twenty splintered in desks with shattering splattering coffee makers, shattering CD cases, and short circuited laptops.

Threshold crashes through the floor and out onto a hallway. But, he psychokinetically cushions his own fall to orient himself back on his own feet.

He's limping in piercing pain over one of his legs, and bordering unconsciousness.

But, just as he hears footsteps of the security guards coming up… Rainmaker splits open a chunk of the floor with piercing winds to make his escape route. Several business men go flying off to their screaming deaths below.

A frustrated Rainmaker catches Threshold and rides out on the wind: Disappearing into the clouds. Burnout reluctantly ends up joining them on their way out.

Armed corporate security in dark blue bodysuits come in to surround the area.

Some clear the wreckage. One of them mutters, "Jesus Christ! There's a young woman still alive under all this junk."

A second security officer figures, "I'd say let Sci-Tech come in and run some tests. But, you know how powerful Gen^13 is. The legal power alone is enough to put us out of work." The first security officer concludes straight out, "yeah. Too bad."

Over the built-in comlink in his helmet… He reports, "this is Team Omega to Team Alpha. Can we get a stretcher over here?"

A voice answers back, "that's an affirmative, Team Omega."


	3. Act 3: Fight Songs and Mirrors

One Gen to Another: A Dark Angel/Gen^13 Fanfiction Crossover Story

Act 3:

Not very long after, in a undisclosed part of the world…

The ice is like giant candles for unsung angels yet to be found. The limestone is plentiful, from the icy cold stalactites to the winding ground. The only light down here are floodlights around the bases of the ice candles, which give off candle like light.

The dark red liquid covered corpse of Andrew is lying off in the distance. To the side are some empty vials with frozen greenish drops. And, what looks to be the White Witch's throne from Narina…is a limestone throne made from Threshold's psychokinetic will. He's sitting in it…as one might expect from a man convinced he is a god.

Rainmaker is in a dark green furless coat, standing before him. Threshold is in a psychokinetic bubble that's pushing away the cold air and keeping his body temperate.

Threshold checks almost impatiently, "did we get the boy?" Rainmaker reports, "yes, Threshold. Burnout will watch over him, and I'll watch over Bliss."

Threshold reasons, "good. And, the N.S.C.?"

Rainmaker starts to say uneasily, "well…"

Threshold pushes as delicately as he knows how, "you're trying my patience, Sarah. It's unbecoming of a evolutionary goddess."

Rainmaker apologetically explains, "sorry, Matthew. But, as I would have gotten into if you didn't interrupt me...there is a reason for my choice of wording."

With his hands up… Threshold faintly sighs, "all right. I'll indulge you. Go on."

With a faint smile… Rainmaker voices, "thanks. As I was about to say… It was either killing them or letting them kill you. I thought saving you was more important."

Like a pityingly disappointed father… Threshold goes, "oh, Sarah, Sarah."

He then glares piercingly, "don't you get it through your stormy head?! I have no problem with dying for my cause. The Children of the Future is all I have. My future…our future…is taking what is ours: Our rightful place as gods and goddesses."

And before Rainmaker even sees it coming… He telepathically attacks her: Making her reexperience flashes of her long black haired uncle Billy getting struck by lightning…while trying to protect her from black armored armed men from Elite Forces sent to capture her with a gun. Her other uncle took her in after for some time before Project Genesis found her in a more democratic way.

All the while… Threshold's voice pierces through, "what you did…however sentimentally touching it was…is going to cost us dearly. We're not merely children, Sarah Rainmaker: We're super powered beings. And, the N.S.C. won't rest until we're hunted down or experimented on one by one. You think this attack is unnecessary. But, it's nothing compared to what they'll do to all of us if they get even the slightest chance."

The flashes stop. But, the echoes from it are far from over.

Rainmaker is practically screaming at him, "I don't give a crap how much you think it's necessary: You have no right to telepathically violate me!"

Threshold mutters condescendingly, "oh, cry me a river. I have every right to teach you what is necessary to take down the N.S.C. You came to me to become Gen Active again and volunteered to join me, even knowing the risks."

Rainmaker talks back, "whatever makes sense in your pathetic limited mind."

Threshold mutters back, "how dare you!"

In spite of the tears struggling to pour out from her eyes… Rainmaker sharply stands her ground, "no: You listen. I'm going to see this through: Because I will do what is necessary to take down the N.S.C. as planned. But, make no mistake: You are no longer my mentor...or my friend."

She storms off to cry: Away from the bitter chill in Threshold's eyes.

Yet, even then…he's teary eyed.

He closes his eyes…not feeling he can bear to look at his own reflection in the ice.

Over in another dark tunnel…

Burnout remarks, "yeah. Sorry. But, we're so much not like Adam and Eve that it's just creepy horny. And, not the good kind."

He's in a dark blue collared jacket, over a white undershirt among many. Needless to say, he goes through a lot of burnt off undershirts.

Standing before him is a ice candle before a row of spiraling down ice. Bliss is there in a very dark blue bodysuit: Stuffed with two hot water bottles, because of insisting on not wearing leather.

Burnout is slowly backing away from her: Only to slip on some icy limestone.

Bliss bends over. She asks, "you ok, Bobby?"

With a hand out… Burnout insists, "I'm fine. The jacket broke my fall."

Bliss sighs happily, "I'm glad." She stands back up.

Burnout gets up. He mutters firmly, "but, this doesn't change anything sis."

Sounding kind of sad… Bliss goes, "ohh! I just don't get you, Bobby. How do you know it's just creepy horny if you've never tried it?"

Burnout sighs frustratedly into his hands.

He tries to let her down gently, "Nicole…I say this because I care about you."

Bliss looks up creepily hopefully, "yes, brother?"

Not taking it anymore… Burnout calls out hotly, "just lay off, ok?! Last time you flirted with me, I had to burn you just to get you off! And, Sarah had to calm you down."

Bliss voices very nervously, "well…I don't want to be burned again."

Burnout figures with some relief, "thank you. Now, was that really so hard?"

With a quickly forming piercing glare… Bliss explodes, "yes!"

She just as quickly becomes overwhelmingly sad. Burnout looks mostly unphased: As if this has happened countless times and he's just waiting for this episode to be over.

Teary eyed, Bliss deeply sighs, "I need Adams, Bobby: As many as I can have to fill the garden. And, no man here wants me: Not even the big hunk of flaming guy that was taken away! I'm so alone."

She bends over the ice candle: Actually crying about it. And, even her own half-brother is looking at her in a very mixed sense of pity.

Burnout goes off, "oh, for crying… Do you hear yourself? No fricking shit you feel so alone: You're such a overgrown bitchy baby!"

After taking a heavy breath… Nicole looks up at him, still teary.

She deeply sighs, "I can't help it, Bobby! I love so much that it hurts."

Burnout comments, "yeah. And, how's that working for you sis?"

Bliss defeatedly mutters, "just…go." Burnout mutters, "best thing I heard all day."

He walks off…leaving a not at all blissful looking Bliss before the ice candle.

Into the night of Halloween…

Max is in her catsuit…sneaking into a all too similar movie theater like backroom.

She shields her eyes reactively as she realizes Threshold is standing there.

But, just as quickly…everything seems to just evaporate away.

Flashes flash by like lightning. Flashes of Ben, Brin, and Zack dying before her flash by. Flashes of Dr. Tanaka calling out his final words "be brave, Jude" flash by.

And…brief flashes of a mock presentation out of a guy's psychokinetically dark red liquid coated unraveled DNA strand flash forward.

The strand reaches out to several or even ten future generations worth of Gen^13 genes in others…overtaking them in screaming fits of dark red splatters, and of rage.

Threshold voices over, "Children of the Future… Ask not what your government can do for you. But, who can avenge for ourselves to begin anew." Sick cheers echo.

Max appears out of the dark: Horrified and sympathetically saddened above it all.

Then…

Max starts coming to, slowly taking in all the details.

In a medical facility with light green tiled walls and dark blue tiled ceilings… Down a corridor of white normal looking doors… There's her on a white medical bed.

She goes, "groan! My head."

She clutches her head, even though she's in bed and still in her clothes. Most of her bruises and scrapes are gone. But, she still has a big bruise over her left eyebrow.

Roxy urges, "easy, girl. That creep can give anyone a headache."

Faintly smiling, Max sarcastically remarks, "you don't say."

Roxy is standing there, looking mostly completely unphased. She faintly laughs, "still…you sure got guts, Max. And, you almost totally kicked Threshold's butt."

Max faintly chuckles, "thanks. But…the Children of the Future kind of kicked our asses. Logan told me what happened."

Roxy faintly shrugs, "maybe. But, we'll find him." She slightly laughs, "I ain't a government judge. I'd make a fricking hippie pushover of a judge, really."

Max faintly smiles, "if only. Still…might like to see how it goes."

Roxy figures, "so would I. But, it sure as hell wouldn't be me."

Max figures uneasily, "sounds good. I just don't feel like feeling good now."

Roxy suddenly realizes, "ohh. Sorry if…"

Max insists, "no. You're good. It's me…that isn't so much."

She looks like she just hit on something though.

With a sympathetic hand on hers… Roxy says, "thanks. Anything I can get you?"

Max reasons, "just to see Caitlin as soon as she's conscious. It's important."

Roxy pulls her hand away.

With a mixed sense of calm, Roxy voices, "all right. But, go easy on yourself…and on Caitlin. She hasn't been feeling all that great either. Know what I'm saying?"

Max openly admits, "all too well, actually. But, yeah. I do."

Roxy faintly nods, "sure. I'll let her know if she's up."

Max adds, "thanks, Roxy." Roxy faintly shrugs with a smile, "no problem."

She leaves through the door…leaving Max in bed to think some more.

Some time after, before the door to a medical room…

Logan is standing before the door. Max is back on her feet.

She asks, "how is she?" Logan puts it simply, "she's holding up well: All things considered. You might want to make it brief though."

Max reveals a bit uneasily, "actually…it's more than just a condolence."

Willing to hear her out… Logan figures, "ok."

Max explains, "I know how to take him down without killing him."

Logan slightly smiles, "well then, don't let me stop you."

He opens the door for her, stepping aside while he does. Max adds, "thanks."

In a heartfelt way, Logan says, "no: Thank you."

Max faintly chuckles, "maybe." She closes the door behind her.

Max stands before a very shaken Caitlin in the medical bed: Still in her very torn clothes, but with a white blue spotted medical gown over them.

Max asks, "how are you feeling?"

Caitlin points out uneasily, "not so great: All things considering." Max sits on the corner of the bed. She figures, "same. Except…I know what went wrong."

Teary eyed, Caitlin deeply sighs nervously, "I hoped we wouldn't have to kill him. But, there's no other way now. Is there?"

Max determinedly says, "no. It's not gonna come to that. But, I can't do it alone: Not again." She's getting teary eyed as she says it.

In black and white… Max is thinking back to all the sketched in barcodes on Ben's victims, fighting with Ben in the woods…and that heart breaking moment of hers of snapping his neck because he wanted to die rather than ending up with the Nomlies.

Presently… Caitlin painfully realizes, "again? You mean…you had to…?"

Tears fall from Max's face. She looks down, swept in overwhelming sadness.

She sobs, "I tried so damn hard to save Ben from himself. Sniffle! I tried so damn hard, and I just couldn't save him. I couldn't save him."

After several awkward minutes… Caitlin reflects very nervously, "wow. I'm sorry. I…don't really know what else to say."

Max wipes away her tears.

She mostly assures her though, "you don't need to. But…thanks."

Caitlin faintly smiles, "anytime."

Turning back to her… Max puts out there, "yeah. I appreciate that. But…there's still a drugged out of his genes psychopath out there that needs a dose of reality."

Fairly surprised, Caitlin goes, "what?" Max figures, "you heard me. Honestly…I'm kicking my own ass for not catching on sooner."

Caitlin starts to put two and two together, "the nightmare from the other night?"

Max concludes somewhat uneasily, "mostly. But…there was another one?"

Caitlin confirms just as uneasily, "yeah. Likely means Andrew Morgenthau is dead as soon as Threshold returned to... Well, wherever he is now."

Frustratedly and pained sounding…Max figures, "great. Just great!"

Caitlin concludes solemnly, "yeah. I know the feeling. But…you were saying?"

Max gets back to her train of thought, "oh. Right. When he tried to telepathically attack me… It echoed it. Every part of it like it was a replayed movie reel."

Caitlin fully realizes, "the Activator drug." Max concludes firmly, "exactly."

Caitlin deeply sighs in reflection, "he always was in a way obsessed with power. We just never realized how much. There's one thing I still don't quite get though."

Max asks, "what?"

Caitlin pinpoints, "most any human genetics would reject the drug: Even kill. How has he managed to survive for years?"

Max figures thoughtfully, "both yes and no. From a faint echo I got from his telepathic attack… It seems someone has been jumpstarting his heart: Over and over."

Caitlin reasons, "Rainmaker has the power to shoot lightning."

Max comments, "seems we know who then. Still…there's one thing I don't get."

Caitlin kind of hesitantly asks, "what is it?"

Max pinpoints, "for all the times you've fought him…you really had no idea?"

Getting teary eyed again… Caitlin considers it, "honestly? The day the Pulse happened?" Max urges as delicately as she knows how, "yeah?"

Flashes of a younger adult Caitlin standing in front of Rainmaker's and Threshold's way along with Roxy and Grunge cycle through Caitlin mind like it was yesterday: With flying exploding bricks all around them, and many a angry face.

Caitlin sadly reveals, "I…just thought that the thought of having to hurt his own sister to attain his goals might have broken him. But, with how powerful he got…it was too often a draw. Until today… Sniffle. No one got close enough to live to tell for sure about why he's become more violent. You did though…and that's the important thing. We just have to find him and stop him before he makes the rest of the world suffer."

Max concludes, "something tells me though you have a idea on how to find him."

Faintly smiling…Caitlin concludes admittedly, "well…now I do."

Max faintly smiles hopefully.

A hour or so after, miles out…

Most everyone is back in the plane: Except for Anin who's watching TV back in the apartment to try to take her mind off things…and for the main pilot who's pretty much sleeping in one of the beds. The song Rock On by nano plays on the plane radio.

The plane is flying miles over lit Japanese skyscrapers so as to not crash in.

In the cockpit is Max as the pilot...and Caitlin sitting in the turned sideways co-pilot seat with her laptop. Caitlin is now in her Kevlar suit, like in Behind the Power.

Max figures, "ok. I know telecommunications, and even I say this is science fiction whack." Logan faintly smiles to himself in amusement further in back.

Caitlin suggests kind of playfully, "then, Max…meet science fiction meets reality."

She passes the laptop over to Max. She just keeps the plane steady with one hand while placing the laptop between her legs. The screen has blank binocular like lens on it.

From closer inspection with her cat like eyes… There's miniscule honeycomb like cells making up the blue lit screen, light lightweight metal seams…and no cooling fan.

Max looks stunned, "oh god. You designed a laptop that runs on nano-circuitry?"

Caitlin awkwardly explains, "well…not just that. Otherwise, it would break too easily. And, maybe Lynch's spy tech helped me with some ideas. But, yeah."

Max faintly smiles, "well, consider me a believer. How does it work?"

Caitlin faintly chuckles, "I thought you might be interested. Nano-transistors act as the microchips, allowing for thirty different functions. All typical computer functions are under one function. The passive scanning function is another."

Max figures, "nice. And, it doesn't break easily how?"

Sounding swept up in the moment… Caitlin explains, "a very expensive smartfluid heating conductor for electricity and a coolant gel protective casing under the metal plates. It's pretty great and really environment friendly. Now…if only it was cheaper to make. The brighter the nano-tube made screen is, the more is left of a charge. To charge it, you put it under a light. To put it in sleep mode, you can just put it in a refrigerator."

Sounding impressed, Max says, "real nice." Blushing… Caitlin adds, "thanks."

Max adds, "of course. So…anything on Matthew?"

Caitlin checks her laptop over Max's shoulder.

She reports somewhat uneasily, "not much yet, I'm afraid."

Max wonders curiously, "what are you scanning for anyway?"

Sounding uneasy… Caitlin goes into more detail, "with that kind of accelerated nervous system, he needs a lot more water than the average person to keep himself moving. It's gross actually. But…I'm scanning for unusually high human sweat from where we last saw him. So far, it's a very faint trail heading east."

Max faintly smiles, "and I thought a girl like me had too much time on her hands."

Sounding a little more comfortable now… Caitlin points out casually, "guess you're not the only one." Max faintly smiles, "guess not."

Forty minutes later, somewhere out on the edge of the Fuji Five Lakes…

The trail of sweat leads to the very dark green thin spiny trees of Aokigahara: Infamously known as the Suicide Forest for obvious reasons.

Not much of any Japanese corporate power dares to come in here.

Marker tape from red to black is plastered all over random marked five acre areas like a fence, each with a log cabin or two. Most of the only corporate resistance fighters left in Japan live out here: With scrap metal for their off grid computers, and plenty of agendas and carved out spears to fight each other over.

There are at least a hundred dead corpses speared through the chest…and many more hung on the branches or intoxicated to the point of death.

Under the dirt is super dense volcanic rock making up the ground.

Deep in the woods…the wide open entrances to the icy and windy caves below are very hard to miss. And, deep down from under the caves…is a psychokinetically carved out passage: Leading up to towering Mount Fuji itself.

Threshold is psychokinetically moving up with the Gen^13 accelerator bomb. It looks like a mostly yellow red lined dumpster with vents and a set of controls ripped off from Doctor Who. Jude is telepathically being led along alongside him.

Rainmaker, Bliss, and Burnout are supposed to be standing guard.

As Rainmaker makes her way further down in the ice cavern though… Someone nervously taps her on the shoulder. She turns around: Knowing all too well who it is.

Rainmaker says uneasily, "Nicole… I'm sure you have something on your mind. But, can't this wait until morning?"

Bliss apologetically says, "sorry. It's just…you're the closest to a friend I have."

Rainmaker gives a faint uneasy chuckle, "sorry, Nicole. But, somehow…I think you're too not right in the head for me."

Bliss concludes blissfully, "ohh. Chuckle! I'm not asking you out or anything. I go for boys myself." Rainmaker sharply figures, "that's not what I meant."

Teary eyed… Bliss voices sadly, "I just don't get it. Mr. Menlove said there's nothing wrong with loving someone. So…how can it be so wrong to love so much?"

Rainmaker looks down at the ice covered floor for a bit before looking up.

With very mixed feelings… She then says, "heavy sigh. Now is not the time to get into a philosophical argument. But…" Bliss attentively says, "yes, Sarah?"

Sounding almost impressed…Rainmaker reasons, "ok. If you do want to be more right in the head…we'll talk later. Just not now. Ok?"

Bliss smiles beamingly, "all right. Thank you, Sarah."

She hugs her out of nowhere, and then goes off into the woods.

Rainmaker just shakes her head annoyedly: Expecting no good to come of it.

Out in the woods…

Grunge and Roxy are trudging through the seemingly endless underbrush, in their superhero digs. Barely a single other noise goes by. Or, at least…as far as they know.

Grunge slightly chuckles, "yeah, right. This place isn't really haunted, Rox. Is it?"

Roxy concludes cheekily, "well, Grunge…it is Halloween. And, we've sure seen some screwed up stuff over the years. But, don't ya worry: Mama Rox will protect you."

Grunge pauses. He figures nervously, "no. It isn't that. But, thanks."

Roxy says, "sure. But, then…what is it, Grunge?"

Grunge wonders, "you sure we haven't walked into Resident Evil, Rox? Cause if those bodies start waking up as zombies…I'm not so sure I want to absorb them."

Roxy chuckles hard, "oh, Grunge! They're not zombies."

Serious toned…Grunge checks, "you sure?"

Roxy goes, "yeah. Besides, I… Do you hear something?" There's faint footsteps.

Roxy clears some underbrush…seeing quick moving feet beyond and Bliss up on a tree sadly counting off loose branches going "he loves me, he loves me not".

From behind her, Grunge says uneasily, "they're zombies, aren't they?"

Roxy whispers bluntly, "not so loud, Grunge!" Grunge says, "sorry."

Roxy calls out, "get down!" She knocks him down…as fire comes down to torch the underbrush: From Burnout's hands from behind.

Grunge started to say, "but, you sai… Ohh." Roxy comments, "you're welcome."

Flaming all over Burnout slightly laughs, "you're not very good at this, are you?"

Roxy faintly laughs back, "ohh. You actually…? Reality check: We're Gen^13."

Bliss comes down from the tree, looking kind of amused. Her hot water bottles aren't stuffed in. She calls out, "these two are Gen^13? Are they always this easy to…?"

Burnout and her suddenly realize that Grunge absorbed the remaining flames.

Roxy smirks, "good thinking, Grunge." Grunge adds, "thanks."

Burnout realizes awkwardly, "so…now what?"

With her finger suggestively over her red lipstick lips…she goes, "ohh. Tempting." Burnout mutters, "now, don't you start."

Roxy remarks, "settle down, "flame war" man. He's taken with me anyway."

Bliss starts walking back to the tree. She sighs telepathically to Burnout, "oh, for the love of… I miss Mr. Menlove! Let me know when I can at least step in and help."

Burnout thinks back, "well, if you want to really help...why don't you take out this snarky one before you go back up?" Bliss mutters, "fine."

Bliss sends a telepathic wave of sleepiness through Roxy, making her rapidly start falling asleep. It echoes, "go to sleep…go to sleep…let the flaming gorgeous men work this out…go to sleep…" Roxy mumbles, "sounds good, Grunge."

Grunge calls out, "Roxy! What did you…?!" Bliss mostly assures him, "don't worry. I just put her to sleep…flaming hunk of man."

She looks ready to kiss him. But, with the flames around…she thinks better of it.

Burnout says awkwardly irritatedly, "Nicole?"

Bliss insists, "I'm going, I'm going! God! Some men!" She leaves them be.

Grunge faintly chuckles.

He turns back to Burnout, "looks like it's between us then. Winner take all?"

Sounding amused…Burnout bittersweetly figures, "sure. But, either way, you can have Nicole. The sooner she's happy with someone, the better."

Grunge figures confusedly, "I don't know about that, flame-on dude. But…race you to Threshold!" He speeds on ahead on thermal glide.

Burnout calls back, "hey: No fair, dude!" He speeds after him…leaving a sleeping Roxy and a very annoyed Bliss behind amongst the underbrush.

Meanwhile, just outside the cave entrance…

Caitlin and Max are fast walking down the backwards question marked shaped concrete stairs leading into the winding in metal red bar bridge leading into the dark. Max is in her signature catsuit. Cobwebs are plentiful. But, the way in is cleared.

Caitlin faintly smiles, "looks like we're clear. Come on."

Though, as she starts walking across the bridge… Max pauses at the bridge.

Max figures uneasily, "I don't know. Seems too easy." From the corner of her cat like eyes, she's noticing some quick moving feet in the not too distant underbrush.

Caitlin turns back to her. She faintly chuckles, "well, Grunge and Roxy should be plenty of distraction for…" Max interrupts, "no: It's not that."

Sounding fairly worried, Caitlin starts to check, "ok. What…?"

A ghost from the past in a dark red dress appears like it was yesterday: Like it was yesterday at Project Genesis. She has long black hair with pink dyed sides down to her ankles, a disturbing grin…and two very gray blue shredder cord hands assembled out of molecularized razor wire. Her name is Ivana Baiul: The former head of Project Genesis.

In a super uptight tone and a all too often exasperated voice… Ivana calls down, "very astute, X5-452. No wonder the ZFA offered a quarter of a billion dollars for me to finish you off. And, Caitlin. It's been too long."

Caitlin mutters coldly, "not long enough." Ivana glares back.

Max glares up sharply, "and what makes you think you'll do any better?"

Ivana laughs, "really, if it wasn't about the money, I'd capture you and extract your DNA sample. But, I got a government project to resurrect from square one. Goodbye, superpowered brats. You had some good days. But, now it's my turn."

She extends out her shredder cords in front of Max, blocking off her way up by turning one hand of them into a metallic like wall. She extends out with the other hand into the rock face overhead…catching Caitlin in a falling cloud of dirt.

Caitlin coughs violently…as she struggles to breathe and hold up falling limestone with super strength from her growing body. Max tries to kick Ivana's wall down, only to clutch her foot in aching pain. Max mutters, "damn. Can't something go…right…?!"

Then, just as quickly…the limestone stops falling. And, Ivana's wall retracts away.

Caitlin shoves some incoming limestone out of the cave entrance, and that's that.

She faintly chuckles in relief, "huh. Looks like Ivana has been out of practice."

With a faint chuckle…Max points out, "no. Looks like we got some backup."

She has just seen Sydney Bloom coming down on a jet black parachute from the night sky…right into Ivana. Sydney kicks her violently back, sending her flying into the underbrush along with her reactively retracting shredder cords.

Sydney lands on the ground, in a jet black biker jacket over dark blue and black rubber gloves. She slightly turns toward the cave.

She calls down, "Caitlin, Max…you two ok?"

Caitlin faintly chuckles, "we are now. I take it you don't need any help?"

Sydney faintly smiles assuringly, "don't think so. But, thanks."

Max checks, "you sure?" Slightly amused, Sydney insists, "yeah. I've got this. Besides…don't you have two superpowered bad guys to take care of?"

Max suddenly remembers, "ohh. Right. Thanks."

Sydney figures, "no sweat. Ivana is a real bitch to take down."

Max and Caitlin keep going, past a smashed down tourist sign.

Looking very amused, Max comments, "did she just say bitch?"

Caitlin faintly chuckles, "when you've been a superhero as long as I have, nothing surprises you. Come on." Max adds, "doubtful on that. But, yeah: I'm coming."

They disappear into the cave, leaving Sydney to deal with Ivana.

Not long after…

Caitlin and Max go up the winding ground to Threshold's vacant limestone throne.

Past the throne, down the winding ground on the other side, and through a tall dark icy passage…is the psychokinetically carved tunnel.

As they pass the throne…Caitlin notices with a sick feeling the vials on the side. She bends over to pick one up in her somewhat bigger arm.

Max realizes, "the Activator Drug?"

Caitlin slightly nods, "and no doubt full of nanites."

She stores the vial under one of her Kelvar gloves.

Max looks at her funny.

She starts to argue, "what the hell do we need with it, when Threshold can just…?" Caitlin vaguely says, "it's not for Threshold."

Max doesn't bother asking more about it. And, they continue on for the passage: Following where the excess frozen sweat goes, with help from Max's cat like eyes.

Several minutes after…

They step into the dark passageway: In a closely formed circle of ice candles.

The lights flicker a bit…as Rainmaker walks towards the sound of their footsteps.

Rainmaker calls out lightly, "is someone there?"

Caitlin calls back, "just me."

She silently motions for Max to go on ahead without her. Max nods.

Caitlin noisily kicks over a ice candle. Max starts off for the psychokinetically carved tunnel, taking advantage of the noise factor to rush past Rainmaker unnoticed.

Rainmaker runs over to the noise. She then sees for sure who it is.

She sharply figures, "Caitlin. Just making it all the easier? So…where were we?"

Caitlin takes a deep breath before walking over to face her.

With her hands open and by her side… She supposes, "I didn't come to fight you. You seem to be a very logical person. Surely you can at least listen before killing me?"

Uncertainly…Rainmaker straight out says, "I don't know, Caitlin. I wish it was that simple. But…I don't know. I lost my powers because of you and the N.S.C., when I could've done the world a lot more good with them."

Caitlin kind of awkwardly adds, "I don't have telepathy or anything like that. So…what have you got to really lose?"

Back with Sydney and Ivana…

Ivana comes back from the underbrush.

She furiously mutters under her breath, "every single damn time I get close to having a life, you show up! Why won't you die already?!" Sydney faintly chuckles, "well, now that you mention it... I could say the same about you."

Ivana highlights, "it has been a long time, hasn't it dear Sydney? Maybe ten years, give or take eight months? If Lynch was still alive, he'd probably live at least that long."

Sydney glares piercingly, "yeah. Maybe because you killed him. Well…not maybe. You did kill him."

Flashes run through Sydney's mind: Of a man with one eye, two scars over his glass eye for show, and very dark brown helmet like hair. Of a man's glass eye shattered through by a shredder cord as he gasps in horror…even with his nano-transistor fortified gray jumpsuit. And, of Sydney in a fortified nano-transistor jumpsuit of her own who arrived too late to save him…crying over his corpse in a dark dark gray metal corridor.

With a wave of her hand… Ivana shrugs carelessly, "he was weak anyway. I was doing a act of charity for the world by killing him."

Sydney mutters coldly, "yeah: Only in your brain does there exist such a world."

With a vicious grin…Ivana remarks back, "then let's see which world is stronger."

Sydney figures, "fine by me."

Ivana extend slashes her shredder cords at her, slicing away several feet of underbrush and trees. Flaming Grunge and Burnout whirl by in the thermal glide.

Sydney tumbles forward, letting her parachute be sliced off to bits instead of her.

She does painfully feel some of the shredder cords slice through. But, they're only moderate flesh wounds in her back: Even with dark red liquid dripping from them.

Sydney draws out a dark red white lined fold out tranquilizer dart cannon styled like a eyeglass, shooting several darts at once at Ivana. But, she shields herself with her shredder cords to make them bounce harmlessly away.

Ivana viciously laughs, "you're getting weak, dear. Maybe you should just save me time and let me put you out of your misery here and now."

She wraps her shredder cords around Sydney's arms and torso, lifting her up in the air as the tranquilizer dart cannon crashes onto the ground.

Sydney tries to struggle out, only for Ivana to make it painfully tighter.

Ivana suggests, "any last words, Sydney?"

Between violent groans… Sydney figures, "yeah. I…have…a present for you."

Ivana states sharply, "well, unless it's a quarter of a billion…I'm not interested."

Sydney faintly chuckles. She says, "not exactly."

Two simultaneous electrical shocks suddenly surge through Ivana's shredder cords…rendering them dead heavyweights. Sydney then slips out, landing on her feet.

The shock feels burning to Ivana, even though she isn't burning up.

She screams, flailing her arms desperately against the underbrush to put out the flames that aren't there.

And, once she's satisfied…she doubles over to cradle her own arms.

Ivana looks like she's just been through death.

When she looks up…Sydney is standing over her.

In multifold shock…Ivana gasps, "how…?"

With a vicious smile…Sydney is all too happy to explain, "these electrically charged gauntlets were designed specifically for you."

Under her torn open black rubber gloves…are gauntlets made mostly out of exposed wires and now burnt out nano-transistors with a thin layer of rubber underneath.

Sydney adds insult to injury, "enjoy death row."

And, with cold satisfaction…she kicks Ivana out.

Back with Max…

Max rushes up the all too smooth tunnel of stone…all the way to the top of the volcanic mountain. She climbs her way through the crater of parted ice and snow.

The Gen^13 Accelerator Bomb is on the side of the crater…and the telepathically led Jude is at the controls: Starting up the very complex scientific equations for the transformative part of Threshold's experimental gaseous Activator Drug formula.

It's turning the molecular composition in psychokinetically broken down nanites with the Activator Drug into air pollutants closely formed with the perfectly formed gaseous drug. Once the gas is released…it'd just look like more smog in a Post-Pulse world. And, not even the creators of A.N.N.A. would be able to find the virus in time.

Threshold figures smugly, "come to fight me again, Max?"

Mysterious sounding…Max suggests, "I think that's been my problem. Maybe I was on the wrong side. With Gen^13 powers, I could really kick some political ass."

Threshold interestingly clutches his head in mental pain. He sees the image of Max fluctuating between wearing a black government uniform and wearing her catsuit.

The psychokinetic bubble around the crater fluctuates, letting in some of the cold.

With a satisfied devious smile…Max calls out, "what's wrong, Matthew? Having trouble seeing reality? Thought you had a higher threshold or something."

Threshold angrily cries out, "enough!"

He pushes the psychokinetic bubble back to full capacity, knocking Max out of the crater and for the edge...more than 3,000 ft high up.

In spite of a then heavily painfully bruised side…Max grabs hold of the nearest rock face. But, the chill of the cold winds is not making it any easier. And, even as she's reactively shutting her eyes against the cold…she's already starting to lose her grip.

Back with Caitlin and Rainmaker…

With very mixed feelings… Rainmaker faintly chuckles, "still…that's one thing that makes you better than Matthew."

She sits down before one of the ice candles. She surmises, "okay. State your case."

Sounding very awkwardly nervous… Caitlin concludes, "actually…it's Matthew that is in a way my case." She takes out the vial from her glove as she says it.

Rainmaker mutters bitterly, "after tonight… He is some one's case for sure. But, what does a vial of test tubes have to do with him?"

Caitlin nervously points out, "Sarah…I don't know how to tell you this in a nicer way. But, he's been getting high on the Activator Drug. It's recently been brought to my attention. But…I assume he's been taking it in high doses since the day of the Pulse."

She smashes the vial on the limestone to illustrate her point…as many nanites start moving like scared ants on the limestone just before freezing up again from the cold.

Rainmaker goes wide eyed. She asks sharply, "how do you…?" Caitlin figures, "there's more of the vials just around the throne of limestone. I assume it's Matthew's?"

Rainmaker solemnly says, "show me."

It doesn't take long to show her.

Teary eyed…Rainmaker sighs deeply, "he said it was just a heart condition left from the fallout of a mountain. So, I helped him live. But… Everything I did… Everything I've become… It's all a lie. You might as well go ahead and kill me."

Many tears fall from her bent over face.

Teary eyed… Caitlin voices, "if I did that…I'd be no better than Matthew. But, even then, I want to help him be a better person. He's my brother, Sarah. And, I know deep down…there's good in him. Besides…hasn't there been too much death already?"

Rainmaker solemnly smiles. She says, "then go help him. Maybe there's hope for us after all. But…I want to be left alone." Caitlin solemnly nods back, "yeah. Sure."

Caitlin goes on without Rainmaker…leaving Rainmaker to sit in the limestone throne and contemplate a great many things.

On her way through the smooth tunnel of stone…she feels a telepathic echo of a shadow figure telepathically flung and bruised against the rock face by Threshold. Caitlin stops: Clutching her side as if it just happened to her.

After taking a deep breath… She realizes very nervously who it is: Max.

Caitlin runs faster for the distant light on the other side…hoping she's not too late.

Back with Max…

Max tries to swing up to beat out the wind. But…she ends up flying fast off.

She tries to take out her crossbow. But…the trigger has been broken in.

She closes her eyes again…expecting a icy death. And, scenes from months past replay through her head like the inevitable has come.

But… Like a angel… Someone catches her.

And, that someone…is Trauma Queen: Also known as Leslie in a very light view.

She's using her powers of self trauma tapping in powers to become one with the air around her and become lighter in gravity at the same time…soaring up back for the top.

Kind of uncomfortably, Max comments, "ok. Saved by a angel. This is new."

In a high spirited yet awkwardly sensitive sounding voice… Trauma Queen says uneasily, "sorry to bruise your confidence."

Max clears up, "no. It's not that. Just…not something I'd want to get used to."

Trauma Queen faintly smiles, "if it makes you feel any better… Logan called me up. Said I might be needed." Max faintly chuckles, "you know…that actually does."

In a better sounding mood, Trauma Queen adds, "you're welcome."

Back on the mountain…

Threshold sees them coming back. He mutters under his breath, "oh, come on! How many Gen Active girls can there be?!"

While he's distracted in the moment… Caitlin knocks out Jude from behind. Very awkwardly sympathetic…she says, "sorry, kid. But, it was the best way to free you."

Threshold goes in a fury, "get away from him!"

He turns himself into a psychokinetically driven torpedo of energy.

Caitlin tumbles at the last second…getting him to crash into his own bomb.

Threshold reactively psychokinetically bounces off of the wreckage without harm. But, the damage to his plans has already been done. The impact leaves him tumbling in the snow, as the psychokinetic bubble collapses altogether and lets the snow in.

A bulldozer big Caitlin hurls the exploding bomb away in seconds, letting it explode harmlessly in the sky in a puff of smog.

She sighs in relief...as Max and Trauma Queen touch down on the mountain. Trauma Queen soon after returns to physical normal form, in a green jacket over yellow.

Caitlin though remembers Threshold is still here, and goes over to him.

She looks about ready to pull him up by the throat before he can get a hit. But…Threshold just lies there: Looking more confused and wounded than ever before.

Max goes over to Jude. She says with relief, "he's still breathing. How is…?"

Caitlin answers nervously, "I think I'm about to find out."

Trauma Queen whispers, "I think she wants to be alone with him." Max figures, "I figured." They both head back into the tunnel with unconscious Jude to keep warm.

Teary eyed for the first time… Threshold sighs deeply, "I…don't understand. I'm supposed to be a evolutionary god: Not a mere rank above a pawn!"

With very mixed relief…Caitlin awkwardly supposes, "as painful as it might be for you to accept…maybe that means you aren't supposed to be. Or, maybe you are. But, one thing is for sure: We both agree that you clinically need help. And, in spite of how sick and cruel you've been… I want to help you be a better person: If you'd be willing."

She offers her hand to him. And…in spite of a very hesitant hand…he reaches out with his own hand: Letting her help him up.

Threshold faintly smiles admittedly, "maybe you are a evolutionary goddess then."

Caitlin faintly chuckles, "I don't know about that, Matthew. But…whatever works."

They head down the tunnel, joining a faintly smiling back Max and a very uneasy but calm looking Trauma Queen. Max could tell from a distance what just transpired.

Caitlin then suddenly realizes, "wait. Where's Roxy and Grunge?"

Not long after…

Trauma Queen, Caitlin, and Max had left Threshold in the tunnel to rest, while they go off in search of their missing friends…and reluctantly for Burnout too.

They've been checking around the sides of Mount Fuji. And, in the midst of all the snow…they find a thin trail of charcoal leading into a cave with collapsed in snow.

With help from Trauma Queen parting the snow away with gravimetric distortions, they come into the cave.

Caitlin wonders awkwardly, "not that I'm thankful that you came back to help my team and save the world. But…you really don't hate us?"

Trauma Queen faintly chuckles, "haven't you heard of the Kelly Clarkson song? What doesn't kill you makes you…stronger."

They come in…to find Grunge and Burnout without their clothes around a rock lit campfire: Singing off key to I'm a Believer by Smash Mouth with air guitars.

Caitlin chuckles hard, struggling to breathe against the cave wall.

Max suggests, "and what do you call that?" Looking very amused in a mixed way, Trauma Queen remarks, "compared to my childhood? This is heavenly awkward."

Max just chuckles, "whatever."

The next day, in the apartment of yesterday…

Max nervously asks, "Logan? There's something I should tell you."

They're standing before the living space window: With Max in dark blue, and Logan in a dark brown long sleeved shirt.

A little surprised, Logan asks, "yeah?"

Max recalls awkwardly, "well…remember when Ben showed up in Seattle?"

Logan uneasily points out, "how can I forget? You told me to back off."

Max admits, "yeah. Well…it's related." Logan figures, "ok."

Max realizes in retrospect, "I was more of a bitch then. But, I was trying to protect you. And, in that junkyard…" Logan puts two and two together, "let me guess. You killed a Junkyard Security officer and couldn't bring yourself to kill more of them because of worrying yourself over what I would think."

With a mixed sense of embarrassed…Max outright says, "yeah. He was the one with a gun on me. But, I was tempted to kill the other guards around. Then…I started realizing that maybe I'm more of a bitch than I used to think I was."

Both relieved and not…Logan points out, "ohh. But, that's just what I don't get, Max. Your friends are your friends because they accept you for who you are: Bitchiness and all. I don't usually swear like that. But…the point is there."

Teary eyed…Max uneasily reflects, "it wasn't just that: It was…worrying that the heart of darkness was going to overtake me if I didn't tone down the bitch that is me."

Logan faintly chuckles, "Max…" Max mutters, "this isn't funny."

Logan admits fairly, "sorry. But…let me explain." Max solemnly nods, "ok."

Logan explains outright, "I'm not making fun of you. I…just think we've both been going in circles." Looking a bit amused, Max asks him, "really?"

Logan awkwardly smiles, "yeah. You see…I know what happened. I shredded the evidence. But…I know what you were trying to protect me from."

Max suddenly starts getting very angry…much to Logan's shock. Max stares him down, "you found out, even after I told you to back off?!"

Logan reasons, "sigh. I know you're getting upset." Max adds, "try furious."

Logan explains further, "but, it was Lydecker that clued me in. I only arranged a meeting with him to try to help save Ben: Not to go after you or what it was you didn't want me to see."

Max faintly smiles, "well, when you put it that way… I guess I can't really get mad at you for just trying to save him. Faint chuckle. We really are pathetic, aren't we?"

Logan comments with a faint smile, "hopeless."

Max says, "I love you." Logan adds, "me too."

And soon enough, they're making out at the window: Throwing their cares away.

Into the afternoon…

Max is walking down the steps of a Japanese skyscraper with Anin, who's now in a dark blue dress. They're heading down to one of the indoor movie theaters, where a rotating banner for movies shows "The Revenant(2015)" in big black letters.

Anin faintly smiles, "thank you for opening up to me, Max. I've…had doubts myself about myself from time to time, admittedly."

With a faint smile, Max says, "It's ok. I understand."

Anin wonders a little uneasily, "so…about this American movie…?" Max mostly assures her, "no big dealio: I got a notepad in the pocket to help translate."

Anin smiles, "sounds like a plan. Shall we?"

Max adds a little playfully, "we shall."

They walk into the movie theater together…hand in hand in a much better day.

A week or so later, back in the good old US of A…

Threshold is in a gray featureless metal conductive holding cell: Ready to shock him with electricity if he tries anything. Well, except for the round black camera above.

He's down to black pants and a white and black prison uniform, and sitting on the floor: Facing a classically colored Chinese Checkers board. And, sitting opposite him…is Caitlin herself: In a dark purple cleavage showing top with sleeves and two yellow stripes running down, and playing with yellow verses Threshold's red pieces.

Threshold faintly sighs, "I appreciate what you've been doing for me. But, must we continue with these little games?"

Caitlin figures simply, "the best way to help with your concentration without exploding heads...and without losing your limited privileges of solid food and relaxation." Threshold concludes reluctantly, "fair enough."

He adds challenging as he moves a piece, "and if after I serve my time, I decide to continue being a criminal deviant of society?" With a faint smile, Caitlin moves her own piece. She reasons, "then I'll be there: Hoping we can settle things without killing."

Threshold jumps over some of his pieces to get past one of hers. He faintly laughs, "well…that's one way to look at it." In very mixed feelings, Caitlin adds, "it is indeed."

Roughly a year later, into a very possible future…

There's a costume party at a fancy glass ballroom. But, the theme is metal costumes at least seeming like robots. Even the optional theater masks look metallic.

Even Original Cindy is wearing one: In chainmail, no less. And, dancing with a woman with a similarly matching outfit.

Rainmaker and Devrom are getting some whiskey, talking philosophical and speculative. Trauma Queen and Burnout are laughing and chatting away with Sketchy and Syl off to the side. Bliss is walking out very suggestively with Kendra, Walter, and another guy to get high and...well…one can guess where they're going.

Max and Logan are dancing on the dance floor, having a good time. And, Caitlin and Krit are over at a table swept in plenty a conversation.

A familiar voice says, "excuse me, miss. But, may I have a word with you?" Caitlin reluctantly says, "all right. Hold that thought, please." Krit faintly smiles, "sure."

Caitlin gasps in surprise…as she sees Andrew Morgenthau standing there all formal, and with a woman in a black dress with white in the middle and short blond hair.

Caitlin points out, "I thought you were dead."

Andrew lightly chuckles, "well, I was. I knew the day might come though. So, part of my Will was to make this android prototype of a new less impersonal A.N.N.A. And, with her schematics including a backup personality profile of me…she built me."

Both impressed and uneasy, Caitlin realizes, "you're a android too."

Andrew says, "yes, Miss Fairchild. I just wanted to stop by and thank you for your efforts to rescue me." In a formal cheerfulness, Anna adds, "and for your political activism for the less fortunate in Japan."

Caitlin figures, "well…I don't know what to say. Except, thank you."

Andrew concludes, "it has been a honor to meet you. Good day." He and Anna walk out of the party unnoticed by most anyone else.

After coming back from the bathroom, Krit wonders curiously, "what was that about?" Caitlin chuckles awkwardly, "ohh. Something tells me it makes for a very long story. I wouldn't want to bore you or anything." She takes a sip of her glass.

Krit figures casually, "I don't always mind long stories. You might be surprised."

Caitlin shrugs carefreely, "story of my life. Ok. With how close we seem to already be…I'll tell you. It all started more than ten years ago…with a government project called Project Genesis."

 **The End Of A MTV Generation of Heroes…Or The Start Of More In The Bizarre and Twisted Heroic Lives of Gen^13?**

 **The Last Time Max Crosses Paths with Gen^13 In A Big Way…Or Just The First Time?**

 **Please Feel Free To Comment On Or Continue This Storyline**


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